Fade to Darkness: Darkness Calling version 2
by Tsukino Akume
Summary: When the last person anyone expected is turned to the side of evil, Earth's Rangers find themselves caught up in an intergalactic war. One thing is for certain: victory will come at a high price. * Edited as of 10-17-11
1. Abandoned

_**Fade to Darkness: Darkness Calling (Multi-Season Crossover/Power Rangers, Chapter 1: Abandoned, T)**_  
**Author/:** Tsukino Akume

**Fandom/:** Power Rangers, MMPR through inSpace crossover  
**Characters/:** Justin, Too Many to Count (i.e. POV bouncing)  
**Pairings/:** Jason/OC, Zack/Aisha, Billy/Trini, Tommy/Kimberly, Rocky/Adam, Kat/OC, Tanya/OC, Andros/Ashley, T.J./OC, Carlos/OC, Cassie/Phantom, Zhane/Astronema (More to come)

**Rating/:** T  
**Disclaimer/:** If I owned the Power Rangers ... -Grins evilly- Well ... Slash fans would be much happier, and most episodes would have a parental control warning on them. Instead, all we have are suggestiveness and imagination ...  
**Summary/:** When the last person anyone expected is turned to the side of evil, Earth's former Rangers find themselves caught up in an intergalactic war. One thing is certain: victory will come at a high price.  
**Warnings/:** First of all, this fic focuses heavily around Justin. If you have issues with the idea of a kid Ranger, or simply don't like his character, I suggest you turn back now. If you have issues about him but can read with an open mind, please continue to the next warning.

This fic practically revolves around romance, including a few unconventional couplings. If you have issues against same-sex pairings, I once again suggest you turn back now. If you're okay with that, we'll get along fine. There's nothing any more graphic than kissing, hugging, and snuggling in here, so no one will have to suffer through details.

Still here? There are some nonsense words in here that will never be officially translated. They're used in context, and some are sort of explained, so hopefully no one is too confused. If you are, nine times out of ten it's supposed to be an alien cussword. The only official language used besides English is French, which I took years ago and barely remember, so I apologize if something is wrong. Feel free to correct me.  
**Author's Notes/:** Credit Where Credit is Due: Most of my concepts of the Morphin Grid were inspired by Ellen Brand's Personality Conflicts, as were the idea of ley lines, the Megaship's temperature, and Rocky and Carlos' families. My version of Grid philosophy was also further developed through many discussions with the lovely Weesta. My idea for Kat's spirit animal coincidentally matches Jeremy Ray Logsdon's Earth Crystals fics, so I'm giving him that credit since he wrote it first. A lot of Andros, Zhane, and Astronema/Karone's personalities were inspired by Starhawk's First Series. It has also occurred to me that one of my non-Earth Rangers has a lot of resemblance to her Phantom Ranger, which is entirely unintentional; that's just how he insisted on being written. The relationship between Jason and Tommy is a result of reading that and Dagmar Buse's Brother, My Brother. One of my pairings comes from Inbonekoen and her Ninjetti Twins, as well as the idea of Soulmated Rangers (though I use a different term), without which that pairing would honestly never have occurred to me. Now I'm addicted to them. All of these are fantastic authors, and I heartily recommend you go find them.

I think all the last names I use are from the series, but if they're not, I apologize. Also, I'm not positive if the United Alliance of Evil comes from Saban or not. I don't think the Allied Powers of Good does, but I could be wrong. You can correct me if one of them comes from you and I'll be sure to add you here.

-Thinks- If I've forgotten anyone that thinks I should have mentioned them, please let me know. The non - cannon non - Earth Rangers, are my idea. The former identities of five of the Dark Rangers are mine as well, as is the Phantom Ranger's alter - ego, while three Dark Rangers actually are completely mine. The Inter - Galactic Web concept is mine. Anything about Justin Stewart except pretty much that name, personality during the series, and Mr. Stewart are my concepts. I don't mind sharing, though.

Timeline - wise, this is during Power Rangers in Space, after The Secret of the Locket. (i.e. Zhane's failed date with Astronema and Andros finding out she's his sister.) It follows the T.V. series, then becomes wildly AU. Please bear with me if I screw something up along the way. I haven't seen PRiS in years, but this has been drifting around in my head for years now.

For those of you who have been waiting ever - so - patiently for the next installment of Fade to Darkness, um ... this isn't it. This is what happened when I re - read the whole thing and went 'Good Lord, this sucks! I can do so much better!' So, I tried to. While this is a re - write, there is still plenty of new plots for those who've read this before. While it follows the same concept, many things have changed.

Also, much love and hugs for my two lovely betas who were able to help get this started: Weesta and Mathias, and all the wonderful people who took the time to review the atrocity this fic began as. I hope this new version meets all of your expectations and more.

Enjoy!

(A.K.A. The Epic Life-Eating Bastard Fic Version 2.0)

Chapter 1:Abandoned

It felt like he should have seen it coming, somehow.

"You're ... what?"

He stared uncomprehendingly. This wasn't real. It was just some horrible nightmare.

His father sighed. "Justin ... it's not ... " He ran a hand through his hair in agitation. "This is a fantastic opportunity. It could mean a lot of great things in the future."

"I'm your son." The words were flat and emotionless. He wasn't sure where they came from; his brain had stopped functioning shortly after the conversation started.

"Of course you are," he said sharply. "And if there was anyway I could just let you stay in this house while I'm gone, I would." He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "I'm doing this for you, Justin."

"Don't lie." He found himself glaring at the man before him. "Taking off on some 'business opportunity' and dumping me is for you. Running off after Mom died to bury yourself in 'work' was for you. Letting Nate get sent to - "

"That's ***enough***!"

There was a moment of silence as they stared at each other.

"You aren't the only one who's suffered. You definitely aren't the only one who's had to make sacrifices," Justin said quietly at last. He shook his head suddenly as a harsh, bitter laugh escaped. "You have absolutely no ***idea*** what I gave up for you. And now you're pulling ***this***?"

His father was tense with anger now. "You're thirteen," he snapped. "You don't know anything about sacrifices."

The look he gave in return was furious. "And you don't know anything about me to make that kind of assumption. I know more about sacrifice than you ***ever*** will!"

There was a moment of tense silence as they just glared at one another. "My god, Justin," his dad sighed at last, running another hand through his hair. "I just ... Sometimes I feel like I don't even know you anymore."

Justin froze.

After a moment he forced himself to breathe, never noticing the tears that gathered in his eyes. "It doesn't matter anymore whether you know me or not," he snarled bitterly. "You stopped being my father the day Mom died. I've just been trying to tell myself it wasn't true."

His father stared back, shock once again giving way to outrage. "Justin - !"

"Go to h-he ... ll." he choked out, his fury and pain fighting past the language censor of his Morpher. He shook his head, turned, and walked away.

It was all just a nightmare ...

* * *

Justin stared at the binder on the table in front of him. "Just a nightmare ... " he muttered bitterly.

The 'nightmare' had ended with Justin back at Little Angel's Haven, and barely a goodbye from his 'father'. -(_Jerk_.)- he thought at him furiously, wishing the Power would let him use the word he really wanted.

He closed his eyes, dropping his head in his hands. The more he'd thought about it, he realized he should have been expecting it for a while now. After the first few awkward attempts to bond with him, his dad had become distant, spending more and more time at work. He'd always passed it off as another important project that he needed to get done. He hadn't really questioned it; he was still recovering from Power Withdrawal and anxiously awaiting for a chance to get in contact with the others again.

He sighed to himself and picked up another marker, absently doodling in the margins. He glanced at what he'd drawn and winced. Streaks of red, blue, green, yellow, and pink marred the paper, a painful reminder. Next to the streaks were the project he'd actually been working on. A 'prophecy', as Alpha had labeled it.

_Courage learns Cruelty, Fighter to Sorceress_

_Commander becomes Mercenary, Artist then Destroyer, Spirit turns Killer_

_Honor fades to Thievery, Healing gives Pain, Heart comes to Hate_

_Knowledge faces Betrayal, and Light turns to Darkness_

He'd figured out long ago that the attributes were a reference to the Power Rangers, and that the prophecy was about a group of Rangers turning evil. Or at least, he thought that's what it meant. There were more listings of attributes being twisted than there were Ranger Colors. He guessed that the capitalization was important. Most likely it gave clues to the identities of the 'Dark Rangers', as he'd taken to calling them. Unfortunately he was still no closer to figuring out the entire prophecy than he had been when he first discovered it in the Power Chamber not long after he'd become a Ranger.

He flinched at the thought of the Power Chamber. It had six months since its destruction, three since he'd last seen the other Rangers. Storm Blaster had stopped by once more after taking him home from that night, but it was only to tell him he had to leave -something about finding someone. He was grateful someone had remembered to say goodbye at least, though it still hurt to think they'd all left him.

He shook his head. It was stupid, to be upset over all this. It was life, pure and simple. Life stinks and then you die, as Nate used to say.

He frowned as the Power censored his thoughts. Well - sort of. Close enough, at least.

He was isolated these days, and it disturbed him to realize that it actually bothered him now. He hadn't been able to get back in touch with Tommy, Kat, Adam, or Tanya since they'd left the team. He listened to Tanya on the radio whenever he got the chance, but he'd only gotten a 'Thanks for writing in!' auto - reply when he tried sending something to the station, and he never seemed to get through when he called in. Getting in touch with the other three was even more impossible; Tommy hadn't remembered to leave him any contact information, Kat wasn't even in the country anymore, and Adam was apparently too busy to write back more than one 'Hey! I miss you! Things are going great!' letter.

Getting a hold of the Astro Rangers was ... well, apparently that wasn't happening, either.

And of course now that he wasn't an active Ranger, he was realizing just how many friends he had outside of the team - as in none. The high school-aged kids ignored him because he was younger and smarter than them, and the kids his age were intimidated by him or something. He'd tried to hang out with Nico once or twice, but that just felt ... well, awkward. After all, Nico was still just an innocent, normal kid. He was ... not.

With a growl of frustration, he jumped to his feet and grabbed his skateboard. Skating had always helped to clear his head. As usual, he didn't bother with any gear; he'd never cared enough about getting hurt to worry about it. He just hoped the fresh air would do him some good.

* * *

He stopped at a park bench to take a break, leaning his board against it. Flopping his head back with a sigh, he ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know why he couldn't get past this. He hadn't been a Ranger for ***six months***. Yeah, once or twice he'd seen the Astro Rangers on T.V., or run into some Quantrons in the park, but nothing really beyond that.

He glanced down at his wrist. He hadn't been able to bring himself to stop wearing the morpher Storm Blaster had given him since he'd gotten it. He could still sense the Power through it, and if anything, it seemed ... stronger somehow, than the one he'd used before. He wasn't an active Ranger so he didn't need it, yet he couldn't bring himself to leave it behind. Power Withdrawal was part of it sure, but it wasn't the only reason.

He leaned forward and buried his face in his hand. "Man, I'm pathetic," he muttered.

The tell-tale sound of fizzling air echoed above him, and he paused. Any Ranger - active or not - recognized the sound of teleportation when they heard it. Slowly, he looked up.

They weren't anything he recognized. Pale, blue-skinned humanoid creatures, with long triangular blades running upwards along both of their arms from the wrist. Something that looked like a fin ran down the back of their heads. And they were all around him, making bubbling noises that sounded very much like Piranhatrons.

He eyed one of the blades as the creature reached toward him. "This is gonna hurt," he grumbled to himself, tensing.

Slamming his hands down on the bench, he jerked his legs up and kicked outward. The creature fell onto its rear end with a cry. He attempted to swing his feet up and over, missed, and slid off the bench.

Ranger reflexes were the only thing that saved him from cracking his head, managing to land in a handstand instead. He heaved upward again, flipping to land on another creature. His weight dropped it to the ground, a punch to the face ensuring that it stayed there. Throwing himself to one side, he rolled to his feet as they came at him. He retaliated with several forward kicks, trying to force them back far enough to get an opening. He spun to the side with a fist, only to gasp as something stung his stomach.

He glanced down, stumbling back with wide eyes. A hand came up to touch the tear through his t-shirt that revealed a line beneath, already leaking an angry red. "Looks like these guys mean business!" he quipped, fighting back a surge of nervousness as the slice continued to bleed. "Time to even the score." He shifted his stance, twisting his wrist swiftly. "Shift into - !"

Stars exploded before his vision, and he slumped to the ground as everything slowly began to turn black.

-( _Hey ... that's not fair ... they're not supposed to do that ..._ )-

* * *

There were mirrors everywhere.

He looked around warily as he sat up, searching for the creatures that had attacked him. Instead, all he found was what appeared to be a hall of mirrors. He paused as he finally noticed the image before him, staring in stunned disbelief.

The boy in front of him looked like he'd grown an inch or two, but he was starting to reach that stage when his body didn't seem quite proportional; all gangly limbs and short torso. His blue T-shirt was tattered, his jeans were starting to develop threadbare patches, and he seemed to be missing a sneaker for some reason. His hair was shaggy, nearly touching his chin now, and rumpled in all directions. He was startlingly pale, and another glance at the slice in his stomach showed that his ribs were just starting to show. Deep circles shadowed his eyes, and the look in them ...

"Is that ***me***?" he whispered aloud, staring in horror.

He crawled closer to the mirror, reaching out slowly to trace the reflection. His fingers ran along the side of the image's face. The image moved with him, flinching away when he did.

The eyes that watched him were a flat, dull brown. They were the eyes of someone who had seen too much, been through too many hardships. The eyes of someone who had been hurt and betrayed. Eyes that had lost hope that things would ever get better.

Eyes that did not belong on the face of a thirteen-year-old.

He shuddered, looking away.

-( _Now you're afraid of yourself?_ )- a voice whispered in his mind.

"I ... " He wrapped his arms around himself, shivering again. "I never thought ... I didn't ... "

-( _Is this what being a Power Ranger does to people?_)-

His head snapped up, eyes wide. "No!" he cried. "That's not why! This isn't - "

-( _The fault of being given a gift that was taken away? Of being left behind, over and over again? Of being treated as less than the rest of them simply because of youth?_ )-

He sagged, shaking his head slowly as tears welled. "No ... " he murmured. "I don't blame ... "

-( _Do you?_ )-

Slowly, he began to remember. Things that he had tried so hard to forget, painful memories that he had desperately pushed away. Memories that even now, made silent tears slow begin to streak down his cheeks.

-_- "Guys! I'm the new Blue Ranger. Isn't that cool or what?"_

_"What ... ?" Kat asked slowly._

_Tanya rolling her eyes at him. Adam's bewildered look. Tommy's incredulous stare._

_The longer they just kept standing there, the more uncomfortable he became._

_Suddenly, this didn't seem like such a good idea ... -_

_- "But you have to remember that we're your family now, too." Then she smiled. "Come here."_

_He sighed mentally, surrendering to the hug she would never let him out of anyway. He smiled in spite of himself at the feeling of warm arms around him. It was nice; comforting. Something he hadn't felt in a long time._

_He blamed it on the energy of the Morpher he couldn't seem to adjust to._

_Then she pulled away and poked him in the nose, smiling brightly. "'kay. Don't stay out here too long. Even Power Rangers need their sleep."_

_"Okay," he agreed with a more forced smile. _-(What am I, five?)-_ he wondered silently. -_

_- He'd always thought he was brave. He'd been through enough in his life that there wasn't much that scared him anymore. But those things walking toward him were unlike __***anything***__ he'd ever seen._

_"Help," he croaked, reaching for his throat as it tightened painfully. "Guys," he tried again. "Hey, guys."_

_But there was no one. No one was coming, except the monsters. -_

_- Confusion when they said they were leaving. They said it was time for them to move on. He'd assumed they meant from being Rangers. It wasn't until a month had passed with no word from any of them that it had finally dawned on him what they really meant. -_

_- Banging against the outer doors. Blasting noises. The doors coming open, and waves upon waves of Piranhatrons going through. He tried to fight them. Felt the injuries, his ribs bruised and body aching. -_

_- Standing up in the rubble, staring dismally at the remains of what had once been the closest thing to a home he'd ever had. Watching the space shuttle take off, and realizing quite suddenly that he was completely alone. Everything he'd had was gone. -_

And then, the greatest betrayal of them all ...

_- Staring at the smoking rubble that had once been his apartment building. He started forward, only to freeze at the sight of a crumpled hand sticking out of a pile of rubble . A gold wedding band wrapped around one finger, its sparkle dulled with blood. Another finger held the amethyst ring they'd saved so hard to give her as a present on her last birthday. -  
_

He shook his head, trying to muffle his cries with a fist. "I don't ... I don't blame ... " he choked.

-( _Do you?_ )- the voice whispered again. -( _They left you behind. All of them. They abandoned you when you needed them the most. They never took you seriously, and as soon as it was convenient, they were gone. And __***him***__ ..._ )-

He shuddered, fighting back the surge of emotion that particular memory brought. "It's not his ... "

-( _He did it. You know he did. You only convinced yourself that you forgave him because you thought it was best. But has he shown any remorse? Does he even *__**know* **__her __***name***__?_ )-

Faced with the truth, he was forced to shake his head.

-( _You never forgave him. You never will. He took away your __***life***__._ )-

He bit his lip, fists suddenly clenching. "He never ... he never even ***tried*** ... to say he was sorry. To say ***why*** ... It's just some part of his past that he wants to forget. But I can't forget! He took her away!" He shook with a sudden fury. "He destroyed her, and ***everything*** fell apart!"

-( _He's a murderer,_ )- the voice agreed.

"Murd ... er," he muttered, clenching his fists so tight he could feel his fingernails digging into his palms.

-( _They abandoned you. Left you behind while they 'moved on'._ )-

"Left me ... behind ... "

-( _Left you behind without a word, replaced you with another._ )-

His eyes narrowed. "Replaced ... " he nearly growled.

-( _They don't even care about you anymore. How dare they call themselves your family when they abandon you in an orphanage?_ )-

He was shaking now, the anger nearly overpowering. "How dare they ... abandon me ... I am **not **an orphan!" he snarled.

-( _Punish them._ )-

He paused, slowly looking up. "Punish?" he asked uncertainly, the anger subsiding a bit.

And then he saw himself again. Tattered, broken, and alone, with eyes that screamed of hurt and betrayal. He saw what he had become.

The uncertainty vanished. "Punish them," he said quietly, coldly. He stood, staring at the image. He reached out to touch it, then abruptly punched the mirror, shattering it into pieces. He ignored the pain in his hand, staring at where the reflection had been. "I will ***never*** let anyone do that to me again," he whispered furiously.

"I can help you."

He spun, automatically shifting into a fighting stance. "Who are you?" he demanded.

The creature was ugly to say the least. It was a sort of mesh between every monster he could think of. He found himself absently identifying them in the back of his mind as he watched it warily. Oh, look. There was Maligore's eyes.

"I am called Vengeance," it informed him. "I can help you with the revenge you seek. I will give you the power to change ***worlds***."

"No thanks," he scoffed, his gaze falling to the morpher on his wrist. "I've had more 'Power' than I'll ever want again."

Vengeance smiled in a way that would normally have sent chills down his spine. "I do not refer to that pathetic piece of machinery you carry. I can give you true, natural, blinding power."

"And what do you want?"

The smile remained. "Make them suffer."

He stared for a long moment, studying the creature. The voice in his mind reminded him of all the things that they had done, of all the hurt and pain they had caused him. And when he continued to hesitate, it brought the image of the boy in the mirror.

He reached for Vengeance's hand without a second thought. "You have a deal."


	2. Darkening Blue

Chapter 2:Darkening Blue

"This will hurt," Vengeance informed him. "The restraints are to keep you from removing any equipment during the process."

He'd been strapped to a chair with metal clamps over his ankles, thighs, wrists, upper arms, and chest. An odd sort of helmet sat on his head, connected to a large machine. Tubing had been inserted into his arms and legs, running to a container of something black that sparkled enticingly. He really didn't like the looks of this; it was like something out of a B-grade monster movie.

One of the blade creatures that had ambushed him earlier fiddled with the buttons of the machine attached to his helmet. He braced himself for whatever the machine was supposed to do to him, waiting. After a few moments of nothing, he raised an eyebrow. "I think it's broken. You might wanna call a repairman," he quipped.

The machine flashed abruptly, and the helmet began to glow.

_- Grabbing desperately for the person being led away from him, tears welling in his eyes. "__***No***__!" he screamed, struggling to get away from the arms holding him back._

_"There's nothing we can do, Justin." His dad's voice was flat and cold. "Nathan made his choices, and now he'll have to pay for them." Then he was being squeezed tightly. "Just be glad you made it out of this all right."_

_"No!" he shouted up at him. "You don't understand! Nate didn't do anything! __***I'm***__ the one who got us both into this. You can't - "_

_"There's nothing we can do," his dad said again softly. A hand came up to gently run through his hair.  
_

_"But..." he whimpered, staring at where the other had been. -_

Justin went deathly pale. A memory machine. Oh, god. "No!" he choked.

_- He jumped down, looking up at the jeep. "Wow ... Cool," he murmured. The first car he hadn't had to alter just to reach the stupid pedals. And it handled like a dream._

_He'd been worried he wouldn't make it to them in time. Rocky's story had taken too long, and then when he'd seen Zordon ... And Alpha testing his driving skills, to make sure he could handle the hard maneuver his car would have to make to form the Megazord - it had been intended for Rocky, after all. He smiled as he remembered how surprised the little robot had been, claiming that he handled his Zord better than some of the other Rangers._

_When he turned to jog over to them, they were staring at him.  
_

_"Justin, what are you doing here?" Tanya demanded.  
_

_Wasn't it obvious? "Rocky couldn't make it. So he sent me."_

_"What are you talking about?" Adam wondered._

_Apparently they still weren't getting it. Excitement surged, and he burst out without thinking. "Guys! I'm the new Blue Ranger. Isn't that cool or what?"_

_They were still staring at him._

_"What ... ?" Kat asked slowly._

_... Did Tanya just roll her eyes?_

_He was starting to get nervous, but the incredible energy Zordon had warned him about couldn't be contained. He babbled on, just barely remembering to catch himself before he let out something he didn't want them to know. "I was afraid I wasn't going to make it. Alpha had to give me a crash course in driving. Good thing you don't need a license to drive a Zord," he added thoughtfully._

_Okay, Tanya definitely rolled her eyes that time._

_He fought back the urge to say something else stupid; he would have smacked himself by now if he was them. But the longer they just kept standing there, the more uncomfortable he became. "So ... what are we doing here?"_

_They all jumped, turning to look back at the ship on the water. That must have been the Ghost Galleon Zordon had told him about. He wondered what ghosts had to do with anything. There was no such thing, after all._

_"We'll, uh ... We'll talk about this later." Tommy told them all. "Right now we gotta get those cars on that ship. Let's go."_

_Talk about it later? He frowned as he climbed back into Mountain Blaster. But Zordon had already agreed with Rocky's choice. Didn't that mean that he was part of the team now?_

_Suddenly, this didn't seem like such a good idea ... -_

"Stop it!"

_- Finally, peace and quiet. No more interrogations from Tommy. No more skepticism from Tanya. No more of Kat's smothering attention. Not even Adam's confusion as he kept asking why Rocky hadn't been able to come. Seriously, if Rocky didn't say something to him soon, he was going to have to lock them in a closet together or something; it was getting ridiculous._

_No matter how many times he told them what had happened, it was like they couldn't believe it or something. They just couldn't seem to understand why he was there. And Tommy and Tanya looked like they were just waiting for him to screw up, so they could send him home._

_He scowled abruptly. Zordon told him to touch the stupid pedestal, darn it! He hadn't even wanted it. But Rocky sent him anyway, and Zordon talked him into it, and now here he was._

_"Take your cue from the others," he muttered to himself. "Yeah, right. They'd 'cue' me to go home."_

_"Justin, where are you?" Kat called. "Justin!"_

_He tried not to groan, but forced himself to answer anyway. "I'm over here."_

_She came over, leaning in next to him as he looked out over the water. That was one of the problems with Kat; she had no concept of personal space. She was always right there, trying to hug him or talk to him. "Hey," she said at last. "Why don't you come down below with us? It's getting pretty cold out here."_

_Yeah, right. Just what he needed: more lectures._

_"I'm way to excited to sleep," he informed her instead, scrambling for something to say. "I was just thinking. If my dad only knew ... Man, he'd be so proud of me." He smiled faintly. Maybe he'd even come home. Then he brightened, imagining all the brats who kept calling him 'weird', if they saw what he could really do. "And all the kids at the shelter - "_

_Kat was frowning. "Justin - "_

_"I know," he interrupted, his smile dimming. "It's for me to know and them to find out. Rangers' Code of Honor." Besides; who would he tell? It wasn't like he could even talk to Nate now. "I won't tell anybody."_

_"Good."_

_Her bright smile was back now, and he found himself searching for more small talk before she started to ask questions. And for some reason, he just couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut now. "Guess my dad's still up north. He had to close down the martial arts studio after my mom passed away," he added. He wasn't sure if she'd bothered to look into his background as much as Rocky had._

_"Why'd he close it down?" she asked softly._

_He shrugged a little, turning back to stare over the water. "He just ... he just couldn't focus anymore. It was like something was missing inside of him."_

_"He'll find it again. He just needs ... a little time, that's all."_

_"I know," he lied. He knew she was trying to make him feel better, but it wasn't helping. He didn't need anyone's pity. "And when he does, we can be family again." He smiled softly again, thinking of his brother as he glanced up at her. "That's important."_

_"Yeah, it is," she agreed, eying him thoughtfully. "But you have to remember that we're your family now, too." Then she smiled. "Come here."_

_He sighed mentally, surrendering to the hug she would never let him out of getting anyway. He smiled in spite of himself at the feeling of warm arms around him. It was nice; comforting. Something he hadn't felt in a long time._

_He blamed it on the energy of the Morpher he couldn't seem to adjust to._

_Then she pulled away and poked him in the nose, smiling brightly. "'kay. Don't stay out here too long. Even Power Rangers need their sleep."_

_"Okay," he agreed with a forced smile. _-( What am I, five? )-_ he wondered silently. -_

_- He'd always thought he was brave. He'd been through enough in his life that there wasn't much that scared him anymore. But those things walking toward him across the deck were unlike __***anything***__ he'd ever seen._

_"Help," he croaked, reaching for his throat as it tightened painfully. "Guys," he tried again. "Hey, guys."_

_But there was no one. No one was coming, except the monsters. -_

_- He'd moved to the right because it felt natural. He didn't even realize he was doing it until he noticed he wasn't in sync with the others. But Tanya had glared at him, and then Tommy looked annoyed..._

_Hadn't any other new Rangers make mistakes before? Or was this just because it was him? -_

_- Confusion when they said they were leaving. They said it was time for them to move on. He'd assumed they meant from being Rangers. It wasn't until a month had passed with no word from any of them that it had finally dawned on him what they __***really***__ meant. -_

_- Banging against the outer doors. Blasting noises. The doors coming open, and waves upon waves of Piranhatrons going through. He tried to fight them. Felt the injuries, his ribs bruised and body aching. -_

_- Standing up in the rubble, staring dismally at the remains of what had once been the closest thing to a home he'd had in years. Watching the space shuttle take off, and realizing quite suddenly that he was completely alone. Everything he'd had was gone. -_

_- Staring at the smoking rubble that had once been his apartment building. He started forward, only to freeze at the sight of a crumpled hand sticking out of a pile of rubble . A gold wedding band wrapped around one finger, its sparkle dulled with blood. Another finger held the amethyst ring they'd saved so hard to give her as a present on her last birthday. -_

The memories began to overwhelm him, leaving him sobbing softly, tears slowly streaking his cheeks. He could no longer see the monster watching him, or more blade-creatures bustling around and adjusting the machines. He never even felt it when the black liquid raced through the tubing and into his body. All he saw was the memories.

As the blackness seeped into him, the memories began to change ever so slightly.

_- Grabbing desperately for the person being led away from him, tears welling in his eyes. "__***No***__!" he screamed, struggling to get away from the arms holding him back._

_"That part of your life is over, Justin."_

_The deep, booming voice had no place in this memory, but he no longer noticed. "But Zordon - "_

_"That part of your life is over," the voice behind him repeated. "You have a destiny to fulfill."  
_

_"But ... " he whimpered, staring at where the other had been. -_

_- They were staring at him._

_"Justin, what are you doing here?" Tanya demanded._

_Wasn't it obvious? "Rocky couldn't make it. So he sent me."_

_"What are you talking about?" Adam wondered._

_"Guys! I'm the new Blue Ranger. Isn't that cool or what?"  
_

_They were still staring at him._

_"What ... ?" Kat asked slowly._

_Tanya was rolling her eyes at him._

_Then Tommy's harsh, annoyed words. "We'll, uh ... We'll talk about this later. Let's go." -_

_- No matter how many times he told them what had happened, it was like they couldn't believe it or something. They just couldn't seem to understand why he was there. And Tommy and Tanya looked like they were just waiting for him to screw up, so they could send him home. -  
_

_- "But you have to remember that we're your family now, too." -_

_- "'kay. Don't stay out here too long. Even Power Rangers need their sleep."_

_"Okay." _-( What am I, five? )-_ -_

_- "Help," he croaked, reaching for his throat as it tightened painfully. "Guys," he tried again. "Hey, guys."_

_There was no one coming. No one except the monsters. -_

_- Tanya was glaring at him._

_He blinked uncertainly, then jumped as he swiftly turned to his left instead._

_Tommy looked annoyed. "Try to keep up, Justin. We don't have time to baby-sit you." -_

_- "We need to move on, Justin," Tommy told him. "Our time as Rangers is over now. It's someone else's turn."_

_"It's time for us to make our own lives," Tanya agreed._

_"Someone else can look after you now," Kat put in._

_Adam nodded. "We're tired of it," he agreed coolly._

_He stared at them, eyes wide. "B-but you said ... you said Rangers are family!"_

_Tommy shrugged. "Some of us are. But you never really fit in."_

_"It's not like we asked for a kid following us around." Tanya rolled her eyes, adjusting her voice as she mocked him. "'I'm the new Blue Ranger! Is that cool or what?' 'Can we do that again?' 'This is awesome!' Rocky was so much better at being a Ranger than you."_

_"The commentary gets old fast," Kat informed him. "The only thing you have going for you is your brain, and Billy's smarter than you are."_

_"But I didn't mean it! I couldn't help what I said! Something about the Power - "_

_"Oh, let it go," Adam sighed irritably. "Stop blaming your shortcomings on everyone else. You suck and you know it."_

_"Let's get out of here. We've made our point." Tommy jerked his head for the others to follow as he turned. They did, leaving Justin alone. Adam was the only one to look back, making a face at him._

_He stared after them. "I thought you were my friends ... " he whispered brokenly. -_

_- Banging against the outer doors. Blasting noises. The doors coming open, and waves upon waves of Piranhatrons going through. He tried to fight them. Felt the injuries, his ribs bruised and body aching._

_"Fight harder Justin!" Red Turbo shouted at him._

_"You're going to lose the battle for us!" Yellow Turbo snapped._

_"I'm trying!" he gasped out, flinching as another fist struck his ribs._

_"Obviously not hard enough," Pink Turbo retorted. "You're supposed to be a genius. Why haven't you made some invention to get rid of them yet?"_

_"But I - "_

_Green Turbo made a frustrated noise. "How did we get stuck with __***you***__?" -  
_

_- "He can't go with you," he told the communication line. His heart was breaking. God, he wanted to go so badly. But something kept telling him to stay, that he was needed here. That his destiny wasn't in space._

_"Thank god," Cassie murmured, nearly to soft to be heard._

_"Good riddance," T.J. agreed._

_He stared in horror at the com. What? But they were supposed to be his friends! Why would they say something like that?_

_"All right kid, time to go," one of the guards informed him briskly, grabbing his shoulder and hauling him off._

_"Wait! Can't I at least watch the launch?" he pleaded._

_"Outside," the guard retorted, shoving him unceremoniously through the gates._

_He ran, scrambling up a hillside just in time to watch the shuttle take off. He murmured something appropriate, what he wasn't really sure. Loneliness had settled over him heavily, and he realized suddenly that he was completely alone. Everything he'd had was gone. -_

_- Staring at the smoking rubble that had once been his apartment building. He started forward, only to freeze at the sight of a crumpled hand sticking out of a pile of rubble . A gold wedding band wrapped around one finger, its sparkle dulled with blood. Another finger held the amethyst ring they'd saved so hard to give her as a present on her last birthday._

_He looked up to find the Green Ranger standing beside him, helmet under one arm as he stared down at the hand indifferently. "Oh," Tommy commented. "Oops."_

_"Oops?" he repeated numbly._

_He shrugged, turning to walk away. "Can't save them all." -_

The twisted memories played through his mind for hours as the blackness was fed into him. At last his eyes opened almost lazily. He snapped the metal restraints with ease, rising gracefully to his feet. The one who stood was not the boy who'd been there.

The monster before him bowed. "I will serve you with pride, My Lord."

He moved, eyes narrowed, and abruptly blasted Vengeance with a burst of black electricity. As the monster screamed in agony, he coldly informed it "***That's*** for your stupid machine."

He turned away as Vengeance continued to shudder and gasp for breath, suddenly turning to frown down at the morpher still on his right wrist. "Shift into Turbo!" he called abruptly.

Nothing happened.

"What the fuck is this?" he demanded. "Why the hell isn't my morpher working?"

Vengeance looked vaguely uncomfortable. "The dark energy running through your body counteracts - "

He broke off with a choked noise as the teen grabbed his neck and hoisted him into the air. "Quickly," the new villain snarled, eyes narrowing.

"It won't work with your new powers!" Vengeance gasped out.

The teen dropped him, frowning. "Pure Morphin energy versus black energy," he mused to himself. He opened the morpher absently, poking around inside of it. After a moment, the frown deepened into a scowl. "The power levels are drained. What the hell happened to it?"

"I-if I may ... My Lord." Vengeance began hesitantly.

He shot him an annoyed look. "What is it?"

"If the blue Morphin energy is drained, isn't it possible to refill the energy containment system?"

"Not without access to the morphin grid," he snapped back. "And unless you've suddenly developed the ability to - "

" ... My Lord?" Vengeance studied his expression, seeming puzzled.

The teen looked like he'd had a revelation. Slowly, a smile crept over his face. "The prophecy ... " he murmured to himself. "Knowledge faces betrayal ... " He straightened, a sudden smirk crossing his face. "Vengeance."

"Yes, my lord?" he wheezed.

"I want the ones from the prophecy." He looked over his shoulder at the creature on the floor, his smile icy. "Get me the Dark Rangers. After that, we're going to ... " He paused again, then grinned wider. "Aquitar."

"As you wish, My Lord," Vengeance answered, struggling to his feet to bow again as he hid a smile of satisfaction.


	3. Unholy Gathering

Chapter 3:Unholy Gathering

Rita Repulsa stared in amazement at the notice that had just been delivered to her castle. "Zeddy!" she shrieked. "Zeddy, come quick!"

"What is it now, woman?" Lord Zedd grumbled as he came in.

"The Blue Ranger's fallen! The Dark Rangers are being called to arms!"

Zedd looked startled. "The Blue Ranger? Which one?"

She shrugged. "It just says the Dark Blue Ranger is calling a meeting of all Dark Rangers. It's signed by Vengeance."

"Vengeance? Goldar! Get in here!"

"Yes, my Lord?" Goldar rumbled.

"Summon Scorpina at once. The Dark Rangers are gathering!"

Goldar bowed, trying to hide his surprise. "As you command, my Lord."

* * *

_- "Nothing yet," her companion informed her, studying her console intently._

_She tried not to smile at the sight. Computers were not something her princess knew well, but she gave them the same determined approach she gave everything she did. In her mind, she would learn them simply because she had decided to, and nothing was going to stop her._

_An alarm shrieked in warning, and her head snapped to the right. She paled as the readings poured down the screen. "It is a trap. We have been ambushed."_

_The other girl's head snapped up, eyes wide. The next instant they had narrowed with determined focus. "What are our odds? Can we take them?"_

_She shook her head, fear for her companion clutching her heart. "Three warships. We are outnumbered and outgunned."_

_"Three warships? Just for us?" was the amused response._

_She knew it was only the automatic reaction to hide her own fear. In a split second, she made a decision. She turned, seizing either side of her face, and kissed her passionately. The confused expression as she pulled away turned to sudden realization, and she tried to back away. "No! I will not have you protect me!"_

_"It is my duty, Princess," she answered softly._

_"Not at the cost of you!" Her voice was angry, but her eyes pleaded. Nothing upset her more than being protected. "It is my duty to fight just as much as it is yours!"_

_"I am sorry," she returned. She moved swiftly, catching the other in a headlock and pinching her neck as she struggled. The anger and hurt faded as her face relaxed into unconsciousness. "Forgive me, Beloved," she murmured, kissing her forehead._

_She gathered the girl into her arms, carrying her down to the escape pods. Placing her inside carefully, she paused for only a second to gently brush the thick magenta hair from her face. Then she was closing the door and ejecting the pod. The distress signal would activate as soon as the enemy crafts were gone._

_She headed swiftly for the bridge again, taking her place at the controls. It would be difficult to fly and fight on her own, but she had no other options. She had to distract them long enough for the pod to get to safety._

_She opened fire, turning the little ship in a roll that had the stabilizers screaming at her. The others had always badgered her about her erratic piloting skills, but they had saved her in a troublesome situation more often then not._

_It was the last thought she had before gold blinded her vision and blazing heat began to sear her skin. -_

Scorpina snapped awake, staring at the ceiling of her room. As always, the dream faded the moment her eyes opened, leaving her disturbed and restless. It seemed to hover on the edge of her awareness, just out of reach.

Her eyes drifted over to a console, the flashing light signaling a transmission record. She stood with a sigh and went to retrieve it. Goldar's face stared up at her, and she found a slight smile on her lips for her old comrade. She hadn't seen him in far too long.

"Scorpina. Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa have summoned you. The Dark Rangers are being called to arms." The message blinked out quickly. Goldar had never been one to say any more than he needed to over a transmission.

The smile turned cold as she considered the possibilities. A Dark Ranger union? This could be interesting. The thought of crossing paths with Light Rangers made her smile widen. "Yummy," she murmured.

* * *

A tall woman stared out the window of her castle, her eyes distant. She was beautiful, if oddly dressed. Her dark brown hair fell to her waist, held back from her face by the blue bandana wrapped around her forehead. Her outfit was nothing more than a white bikini, a white cape draped over large golden shoulder pads, and tall white boots. A white silk belt with splatters of dark red had been wrapped around her hips. She was coated in jewelry; a beautiful green and black broach was pinned to the front of her bikini top, a sparkling amethyst ring graced her right hand, a blue stone hung around her neck, yellow barrettes had been placed in her auburn hair, and pink stones dangled from her ears.

A door burst open behind her, but she didn't move. The hurried footsteps slowed almost immediately, and the presence behind her knelt. "Mistress."

Now she turned, offering a smile to the young girl before her. On anyone else it would have been considered warm and affectionate. For her the expression was chilling.

The girl at her feet was small and dainty with pale, sickly looking skin. The lime colored lace and silk dress with knee-high black boots she wore didn't help to improve her skin tone. Long sparkling yellow gems dangled from her ears, and a diamond chain glittered against her collarbone. Thin dusty copper curls fell loose around her shoulders, long bangs obscuring her face.

The woman placed a hand on her head, then reached down to tilt her chin up. Dull green eyes stared up at her as she idly stroked the girl's cheek. "What news do you have for me, Spectra?"

"A message from the demon Vengeance, Mistress," she answered woodenly. "The Dark Blue Ranger has awoken and calls us to arms."

The woman smiled again. "Then it would be a shame to disappoint him without his Dark White and Dark Yellow Rangers, wouldn't it?" She patted Spectra's head. "Go and pack our things, dearest."

"Yes, Mistress." The girl bowed her head once, then rose and left the room swiftly.

The woman gazed out the window again, a cool smile flittering across her face. Her dark eyes seemed to twinkle with red light. "Perhaps that old prophecy isn't such a bore after all. I could use some new trinkets." She fingered the belt around her waist, then abruptly burst into hysterical, twisted laughter.

Further down the hall, Spectra's shoulders twitched as the laughter echoed. Her eyes held the same glassy expression.

* * *

Circling a planet of darkness, the occupants of a submarine-shaped space ship were enjoying the first decent amount of peace and quiet they'd had in over a year. The reason? Their leader was taking a nap.

Needless to say, the Piranhatron that had been selected to wake her trembled as it stood before her door. At last it knocked hesitantly. There was a long moment of silence, and it knocked louder.

"What is it?" bellowed the woman within.

Quaking fearfully, it burbled its excuses.

Unfortunately for it, she didn't speak its language. The door burst open, and a pair of glowing red eyes were the last thing the Piranhatron saw.

A high-heeled boot stepped on the ashes that served as the only remains of her servant. "What is this?" Divatox grumbled, reaching down to pick up the envelope the Piranhatrons had been trying to deliver. She opened it with a fingernail, skimming the contents. Her eyes lit up almost instantly. "The Dark Rangers are uniting ... Ooh! Sounds like ***fun***!"

* * *

A tiny fighter ship flew swiftly through space. At its helm was a young woman, an icy expression on her face. She wore a dusty rose mini-dress with tall black boots and a black trench coat, a dramatic contrast to her thick white skin. A pair of white horns perched on the top of her head through waist-length mint green hair, the same shade as her eyes. A spade-tipped tail rested through a hole in the back of her chair. Something about her very presence was regal and indifferent.

She glanced down at the com line as it beeped at her. Eyes narrowing, she accepted the transmission. She said nothing as it activated, merely waiting for the other person to speak first.

"Demoness," the voice greeted.

Her eyes narrowed further. This was not a voice she recognized, and as such had no business contacting her.

"This is the Dark Blue Ranger. I have a proposal for you. See, I decided to have a little gathering of Dark Rangers. A let's-band-together-and-conquer-the-universe sort of thing. Now I know you despise company, but I need a Dark Pink Ranger. So I have a proposition for you."

She stared at the com as the voice continued his explanation. "I will be there," she said abruptly as he finished, her voice husky with a thick accent. She turned of the transmission and turned her ship for the coordinates she'd been given without another word.

* * *

Astronema sat in front of her mirror, carefully brushing her hair. She paused after a moment, fingering the long blue locks. Her hand drifted to her locket, and the memory of the Red Astro Ranger calling himself her brother ran through her mind. She quickly raised a hand, purple sparkles dancing on her fingertips. Her hair shortened to her ears, turning a vibrant maroon.

She smirked in satisfaction. Now there was no way they could possibly look alike. It wasn't true anyway. The smile faded a little, fingers returning to grasp her locket. But ... for just for a moment, she'd wondered. What if her brother really ***was*** alive? What if he was looking for her? What if he really was the Red Ranger?

She shuddered. It was impossible of course. There was no way they could be related. The Red Astro Ranger, brother to the Princess of Evil? Of course not. Yet in that moment of wondering, she'd made the mistake of comparing them. Now she wasn't sure if she'd ever be able to look at the Red Ranger the same. Would she be able to face him in battle again without wondering?

When she was willing to be honest with herself, she realized she didn't know.

She straightened at a knock on her door. "Who is it?" she demanded sharply.

"Ecliptor, My Princess."

She relaxed slightly, standing and turning to face the door. "Enter."

He paused just past the doorway to kneel for a moment, then rose to look her in the eyes. "We've tracked signals across several galaxies, all from someone calling himself the 'Dark Blue Ranger'. He appears to be gathering together a large force from the UAE."

"Does Dark Specter know about this?" she demanded.

"I do not believe so."

She turned away, considering. "An alliance gathering right under Dark Specter's nose." A smirk drifted across her face. "I think he'll be most interested..."


	4. Evil Alliance

Chapter 4:An Evil Alliance

Eight of the universe's most powerful forces of evil milled about the ship they'd been brought to restlessly. They ranged from the powerful and magical Lord Zedd and Rita Repulsa, the warriors Goldar and Scorpina, to the manipulative Demoness, the to the insane Lady Tearrah.

"What's taking so long?" Rita Repulsa whined.

"You'd think this 'great and powerful' Dark Ranger could get himself together quickly," the woman in the white bikini commented.

"I'm flattered you think so highly of me, Lady Tearrah," a voice drawled.

Everyone turned to see a teenager leaning against the doorway. He was tall and well muscled, dressed in black jeans, a tank top the darkest navy it could possibly be and remain blue, and bulky black boots. His dark brown hair was pulled into a small ponytail at the base of his neck, and piercing black eyes surveyed the room. Gold hoops dangled from each ear, while a cuff that looked somewhat like a black dragon curled around the top of his left ear. A smirk slowly crossed his face. "And the gang's all here," he remarked mildly.

"Who are you?" Zedd demanded.

"You can call me Zeus."

"What kind of Dark Ranger are you?" Goldar growled.

He looked more amused at the question. "What, were you were expecting Billy Cranston?" He reached into his pocket, holding up a Turbo Morpher and Key. "Not hardly."

"Oh, no!" Divatox shouted. "There is no way in ***hell*** I'm working with ***you***!"

Zeus smirked. "Why not? Scared?"

Her eyes flashed angrily. "You were the most annoying pipsqueak goody-two-shoes Ranger I've ever met. There's no way you'd ***really***be evil."

To everyone's surprise, Zeus merely laughed. "It'd seem that way, wouldn't it? But I've never exactly been a child of the Light, no matter how much Zordon wanted to make me into one. And his mistake is my gain."

"Why should we believe you?" Tearrah asked, regarding him calmly.

"Honestly, I really don't care if you believe me or not. I brought you all here to offer you an opportunity. If you don't want a hand in destroying the Light Rangers, that's your business."

"And how do you plan to do this?" Demoness spoke up from a corner.

His answering smile was as cold and cruel as any villain's. "By draining the Power from the Light Rangers of Earth and taking it for myself. I'll use them to power up my Turbo Morpher and a Morpher for anyone else who wants to join me. Without the Rangers of the most powerful and annoyingly friendly teams in the universe, who's going to stop us? No other Ranger team would actually ***try***to work with anyone else, and alone there's nothing they can do against us."

"What if their Soul Bonded come forward to protect them?" Tearrah asked, looking like she didn't particularly care.

He shrugged. "Soul Bonds go two ways. They may know they're in danger, but if one's in pain, it hurts the other. Hurt them enough, and they'll be worthless."

"You seem awfully confident for the new villain on the block," Zedd snarled.

"Why shouldn't I be? I know more about the Rangers of Earth than anyone. I know their strengths and weaknesses. I know ***exactly*** what it will take to break them." He gave another cool, twisted smile. "And I'll enjoy every second of it."

"I will join you," Demoness said abruptly.

He nodded to her, seeming pleased. "As you wish."

"Why not? It sounds like something to interest me for awhile," Lady Tearrah agreed. Spectra, standing slightly behind and to the left of her, nodded once, then bowed her head.

"I'll help," Scorpina informed him, a wicked smile curving her lips.

Goldar hesitated, then nodded as well.

Rita shrugged. "Nothing else has worked so far."

Zedd glared at her, then at Zeus. "I don't trust you."

Zeus merely smiled. "The feeling's mutual. You in or out?"

Zedd seemed to deliberate for a moment, then nodded at last. "In."

Now Zeus turned to Divatox, wearing the same smile he'd given Zedd. "So?"

"I trust you about as far as I can throw you," she informed him irritably.

He shrugged. "Your loss. If you don't want the chance to finish what you started with the former Turbo Rangers ... "

"I didn't say that," she said quickly. "I'm in. As long as I can get my hands on those ***Rangers***."

He smiled. "Of course." He turned as if to leave and paused. "Of course, there are a few conditions to my offer."

"I knew it," Goldar growled.

"First of all, Earth is off limits once its Rangers have been gathered."

"What?" Divatox shrieked.

"That is outrageous!" Zedd shouted, his visor beginning to flare with red light.

"That's my condition," Zeus interrupted calmly. "No one touches Earth. Second ... " His eyes flashed with navy light, though no one saw it. "Tommy Oliver is ***mine***."

"You can't do that!" Rita screeched.

"I can. Tommy Oliver dies by my hand, and no one else's. Don't like it; leave." He walked out without another word.

Further down the hallway he paused, another smirk drifting across his face. "You can come out now."

Astronema emerged from the shadows, staff in hand. She looked Zeus up and down with an expression that said she wasn't impressed. "So you're the one who betrayed Dark Specter."

Zeus laughed softly, sounding genuinely amused. "How can I betray someone I never allied with?"

The slight widening of her eyes was the only sign of her surprise. "You aren't part of the Alliance?" Her eyes narrowed again. "Who are you?"

"Call me Zeus," he replied, casually leaning against a wall. "I remember you. You're Astronema, right? You're a lot less screechy when the Rangers aren't around."

Suspicion turned to outrage in less than a second. "Screechy? How ***dare*** you compare me to that incompetent Rita Repulsa!" Her hands tightened on her staff, raising it to strike him with a bolt of energy.

He chuckled softly. "I like you," he decided. "You're a lot more amusing than that lot back there." He jerked his head back in the direction he'd come as if his statement was unclear. "Not to mention more intelligent."

She paused, staff still ready to shoot him if he angered her again. "Why do you say that?"

This time his expression was as exasperated as it was amused. "Do you honestly think any of them would have the brains to sneak in here mostly undetected? Demoness maybe, but the rest of them wouldn't even think of it, let alone accomplish it." Now he was the one to look her up and down. "If you weren't Dark Specter's pet princess, you'd make a good Dark Ranger."

Her eyes narrowed again. "I am ***no one's*** pet!" she spat.

"Then join us," he returned. "We'll need a Dark Silver Ranger. I planned on taking the Silver Astro Ranger's Morpher, and who knows how to use it better than you?"

She looked wary. "What do you get from this?"

A smile was her answer. "The pain, torture, and eventual downfall of the Rangers of Earth. What more could I possibly want?"

Her eyes watched him carefully. There was more to it than that she could see, but the offer for a Morpher of her own ***was*** tempting. "What's the catch?"

He laughed again, shaking a finger at her. "There's that intelligence!" The laughter died off to a serious expression. "Earth remains untouched after its Rangers are removed, and no one touches Tommy Oliver but me."

She was silent for several minutes. At last her staff lowered, one hand reaching out to him. "I accept."

There was a genuinely pleased smile as he took her hand. "Welcome to the Dark Rainbow, Dark Silver."


	5. Home Away from Home

**Author's Notes/:** -Laughs- You know, most of the reviews I've gotten so far have been to tell me that this version is a lot better than the first one. I agree, but it amused me. To Dagmar Buse, CamFan4Ever, GinaStar, Burning DragonSword, Megazord Master, Guardian of Hope, Hagar, and AM83220: thank for you honesty and kindness everyone. ^_~

Also, thanks to the wonder that is YouTube, I've discovered that this begins after Power Rangers in Space: The Secret of The Locket. Pardon for the re-uploading of previous chapters, but I made the mistake of playing hunt-the-typo until I got frustrated.

And one last comment: In accordance to Fanfiction. net's rules, I'm removing Darkness Calling: Fade to Darkness, the original version of this fic, from my account. I apologize to those of you who have it marked. I ***will*** however, be keeping it posted on my website: www. angelfire. com/moon2/tsukinoakume/index. html for anyone who would like to read it again.

Enjoy everyone! ^_^

Chapter 5:Home Away from Home

Aquitar was a planet of great beauty, and contrary to what many of his friends may have believed, Billy truly did enjoy himself there. His time with the Aquitian Rangers had mostly eradicated his fish phobia, and his wanderings about the planet had given him a greater appreciation and personal harmony with water in general. Homesickness still hit him hard, and often, but he wasn't unhappy. Quite the opposite; Aquitar had opened up a universe of opportunities for him he never would have known otherwise.

He'd been lost on Earth, even if he hadn't admitted it to his friends. When he had taken the time to think about it, he'd realized he'd lost part of himself the day Jason, Zack, and Trini left. Then another part when Kim left, and another at the realization while Tommy was still like a brother to him, he wasn't the Tommy he'd known anymore. His early graduation had left him unsettled and falling into what felt like a rapidly downshifting spiral. He simply hadn't known what to do with himself anymore; his friends were off having adventures of their own, and he couldn't make plans for the future past what his next meal was. The others had always considered Billy to be the one to think ahead, and he was - as long as someone else's happiness was at stake. When it came to his own, he floundered with absolutely no idea of what to do next.

The illness that had lead him to Aquitar was a blessing in disguise. The planet was like nothing he'd ever imagined, and whether it had been the treatments from the Sacred Falls or the atmosphere of the planet itself, it had almost felt like coming home. He'd found a great portion of the inner peace he'd lost so long ago, and he was reluctant to give it up. Cestria had seemed to notice that he needed someone to talk to, and had taken it upon herself to see that he opened up to her. As annoyed by her as he'd been at the time, he eventually couldn't help but love her for it. He counted her among his best friends now, and honestly didn't know what he'd do without her gentle advice and comfort.

She was the one who had suggested the opportunities open for him, ones he'd never even considered. Earth was a sheltered planet, and it seemed Aquitar had become part of what ***kept*** it sheltered, at both Zordon's request and their own decision. They fielded attention by the Allied Powers of Good away from the planet, keeping its Rangers and their mentor focused on what they did best: protecting their home. Cestria had pointed out that this only happened because Earth had no one to speak for it, and as a knowledgeable 'Earthian' as they were called in space, he had a career in interplanetary politics if he so chose. It also seemed the opinion of a former Ranger was highly valued in many areas, and his experiences against Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, and the Machine Empire made his knowledge all the more valuable, as well as the fact that he'd been mentored by the legendary Zordon. Any Ranger Collegiate would be eager to sign him on as a teacher. Beyond that, his intellect was in high demand as well; any science establishment would welcome him.

It had almost been too many decisions at first. As he'd taken the time to think about it, he'd made the mistake of commenting to Cestro about his inability to take on the Gold Ranger Powers, and how it frustrated him that despite the excuse he'd given the Rangers he really had no idea of ***why***. Cestro had immediately offered his help in researching it, and Billy had taken time to think about that as well. In the end, he'd decided that at the very least, Aquitar would expand his horizons and give him an idea of what he truly wanted to do. Cestria had offered to be his excuse to keep his friends from trying to fight his decisions, and they'd ultimately accepted it without question.

He'd spent the next few years researching his problem with the Gold Power and accepted a position as the official APG delegate for Earth. Politics was hardly something he'd imagined himself doing, but he'd come to find he was rather good at it. Delphine's advice to him had been to think of it as a battle of wits, words he'd taken almost instantly to heart. Earth had earned begrudging respect in the APG's eyes during his time as representative, and he found himself proud of that accomplishment.

His life on Aquitar had also given him insight on the Aquitian Rangers he never would have expected. Cestria had told him at one point that the Aquitian Rangers were the political and military representatives of Aquitar, and as such had a certain attitude and act to perform in the presence of others. Befriending them had lead to the realization that all their formality and restrained emotions were just that; an act. The true personalities and friendship behind that act were achingly familiar, and while he had been incredibly homesick in their presence, the knowledge that they considered him their friend as well had been as comforting as it was an honor.

Delphine, who he had initially considered refined, detached, and diplomatic was anything but. She was a tomboy, more than willing to roughhouse with her 'brothers' as she fondly considered her teammates, and had demonstrated her ability to hold her own among them more than once. She was spirited and independent, and when in a situation where she was able to, spoke her mind with a dry sarcasm and wit he never would have expected. At the same time, she had an uncanny knack for understanding things that he could never have explained, let alone believed in. The modest answer she'd given any time he'd asked her about it was that it was part of being a White Ranger. The thought that she was remarkably similar to Trini had crossed his mind more than once, always leaving him with an uncomfortable ache he couldn't properly identify.

Aurico was a master swordsman and martial artist, with skill nearly unmatched. His devotion to the art wasn't unlike Jason's, and despite being painfully shy, it was obvious he truly enjoyed what he did. As for his more secretive side, he had an uncanny knack for destroying any of Cestro's experiments; he'd been repeatedly thrown out of the Zord Bays by his teammates for inexplicable explosions. Even Aurico himself didn't know exactly how it happened, but whenever he was around non-computer based machinery, with the sole exception of operating his own Battle Borg, things had a tendency to simply blow up. Delphine had made some dark comments about his aura, but other than that, Aurico was simply not allowed near anything mechanical.

Cestro was very much like himself in his delight at new intellectual challenges. A scientist to the end, even when told to sit still his mind was always drifting, thinking of new solutions to whatever problem he'd been currently working on. He had been raised to be a healer, but his healing gifts were best applied to computers and gears. He'd repaired the Battle Borgs from near scrap metal on more than one occasion in just days, emerging weary but happy, claiming that their friends were once again in good health. That was the way he considered all machines; as living creations who needed a good friend to take care of them in their time of need just as much as anyone else. In that respect his gentle, friendly, and caring nature made Billy consider him to be the Aquitian equivalent of Kimberly.

Tideus, he was surprised to discover, was in fact the prankster of the group. While Aquitian humor was generally different from Earthian, it seemed practical jokes were universal, and Tideus was a master of them. Billy had quickly learned how and where to be on his guard, and just what to expect in the company of his quirky friend. His love of life and laughter was an occasionally painful - in more than one definition of the word - reminder of Zack.

And then there was Corcus, who was a bizarre combination of Adam and Aisha. He had a natural talent for song writing and poetry; his ability was amazing even to someone who didn't always understand the Aquitian arts. He tended to be the quiet one of the group when he was able, not speaking unless he truly felt a need to just as Adam would. At the same time, he shared Aisha's protective nature, fiercely defending any of his friends.

It was a team he'd never pictured behind the Rangers, but in retrospect it was so like his own he knew he shouldn't be surprised. They had welcomed him into their homes and their circle, and for that he was grateful. Even as his time with them made him ache for his own team, they soothed some of the homesickness away. He'd learned a great deal from them, and did his best to share his own knowledge and friendship. Even as the only human on an alien planet, Cestria and the Rangers had always made him feel welcome.

He'd changed quite a lot since he'd left Earth: three years to them, five in Aquitian. Thanks to his connection to the Blue Power and the technology available here, his vision was perfect. Frequent swimming through the strange waters of the planet had permanently bleached his hair back to the light golden blond it had been when Kimberly decided he needed a makeover; he still kept it short to prevent any accidents during his experiments. All his activities with the Rangers had given him a lean muscled look, and he was in excellent physical condition. Although it was hard to notice any of this under the purple coveralls and blue undershirt he often wore, and he never bothered to look for a mirror, too busy with all his activities.

His priorities had changed with the discovery of Zordon's capture, needless to say. He had leapt headlong into the search, pushing aside his personal projects as he put all his efforts into finding his mentor. The Aquitian Rangers had been nothing but supportive even in the face of some less than thrilled APG delegates, and did their best to help. They knew that as one of Zordon's Children, Zordon's safety would be the first and only thing on his mind until Zordon was found and brought home.

He frowned slightly. Although that apparently didn't make him exempt from the usual basic daily routines. He'd been forcibly removed from the Dome of Lights, as the Rangers' headquarters was termed, less than a shift earlier by Delphine. She'd been more than happy to remind him that current Ranger or not, she was still the leader of Aquitar's Rangers, and as such had enough authority over him to tell him to get some rest. Not to mention she was stronger than she looked.

A slight sound made him tense, looking around warily for one of Tideus' traps. He scanned the area and found nothing, but waited a few moments more just to be sure. He took a step forward and swiftly sidestepped a swinging bucket of sea moss as it sloshed out over the floor, covering it in grit. Rolling his eyes and chuckling at the thought of how much trouble Tideus would have cleaning ***that*** up, he turned to head to his rooms.

He managed to glimpse a face in the darkness moments before he was clobbered over the head. As he dropped to the floor, his last conscious thought was that for once, Delphine really shouldn't have thrown him out.

* * *

His first conscious thought was that he hurt. His head felt like someone had scraped the insides raw. -( _Mind rape. _)- he acknowledged dimly. Delphine had told him what the symptoms of mental attack were, but words could never adequately describe the painful throbbing he now felt.

He forced his eyes open, only to realize his mistake as his head swam. His blurry vision told him that he was probably in as good of shape as he felt. He was barely able to make out a black and blue blur standing next to a peach, brown, and white blur nearby.

"This is the great Blue Ranger of Earth?" a woman asked, sounding amused.

"Pathetic, isn't he?" a man agreed. "And to think they thought ***this*** was one of their best Rangers. Ah, well. Showtime."

"Goody," she purred.

- _Fish! Fish everywhere! Mean, nasty, horrible things, taunting him and biting at him. Calling him stupid Earthian. They wouldn't leave him alone wouldn't go away! Colors, colors everywhere. Colored fish? Why did the fish wear colors? No! Get away get back don't touch me!_ -

He gasped aloud as the vision faded. Fish. Vile, repulsive creatures. They hurt him. Wouldn't stop hurting him.

"That's it?" the man demanded incredulously. "That's his fear? What a wussbag!"

"Are you feeling anything yet?" the woman retorted. "Of course that's not his greatest fear. I'm just warming up."

- _The Rangers were in trouble again. He had to think quickly, get them something to help. The Zords were failing. They needed him, needed his expertise._

_He had nothing. Absolutely nothing._

_"Billy!" Red Zeo shouted through the monitor._

_"Help us, Billy!" Pink Zeo cried._

_"Billy, please!" Pink Ninja Ranger begged._

_"Billy do something!" Red Thunder bellowed._

_"Billy we need you!" Black Dino yelled._

_"I - I - I ... " he stammered. "I don't know! I don't know what to do!"_

_"Now Billy!" Zordon ordered. _

_"Oh, no!" Alpha screeched. "It's too late!"_

_He stared in horror as the Zeo Megazord burst into flames and showers of color. Yellow Dino's voice screaming his name echoed through the monitor. "No ... no!" he shouted, tears streaking his cheeks. "No!"_ -

"***No***!"

Something was tingling, draining from him. It hurt to lose it, but it was his fault. All his fault. He failed them; he deserved to pay the price. He whimpered as he curled into a smaller ball. "I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm sorry I'm not smart enough. I'm so sorry."

"Pathetic," someone sneered.

He looked up fearfully to find a black/blue blur before him. "Tell the rest of Earth's old Rangers they're next," the man informed him.

There was a burst of blue light, and his world went dark again.

He moved as quietly as he could through the corridors of the Dark Fortress. He couldn't afford to be caught; he ***had*** to get to Lord Billy and get him out of here. He still needed to warn the Astro Rangers that -

He froze as he heard something further ahead, pressing himself back against the wall. For the first time in his life, he silently cursed his Color. Silver was not exactly meant to be a Color of subtlety.

The Quantrons passed him without incident, and he breathed a soft sigh of relief.

A hand tapped him on the shoulder as someone leaned in to whisper directly behind him. "Boo."

He spun wildly, striking up his defensive stance. He blinked at the sight of the unfamiliar teenager across from him, who promptly began laughing.

"Oh, man," the teen gasped, clutching his stomach. "You should have seen the look on your face - well, not face exactly," he amended, waving a hand as he continued to giggle. "But you get the idea. Oh, that was ***priceless***."

"Who are you?" he demanded.

A faint smirk drifted across the other's face as he slowly straightened, eyeing him with an unmistakably evil look. "Call me Zeus," he drawled. "You're the Silver Astro Ranger, right? Saw you on the news, fighting Astronema."

"And how do you know Astronema?" he shot back.

Zeus raised an eyebrow, seeming amused. "Hello ... ? She's been attacking Earth for how many months now? Not to mention I actually helped fight her minions once, but that was when I was still on the wrong side."

Now Silver Astro was just confused. "Wait ... you're from Earth?"

Zeus rolled his eyes. "Not too quick on the uptake are you? I bet you don't even know who I am."

"Should I?" he snapped, trying to hide the sudden nervousness that came over him. Something wasn't right here, and it wasn't just that Zeus was creepy.

"For crying out loud!" a deep voice growled. "Stop wasting time and just grab the stupid morpher already!"

A hand closed over his right wrist.

His Morpher reacted instantly, turning white-hot. The armored monkey he noticed out of the corner of his eye bellowed in pain, releasing him so quickly it was almost comical. He began to dance around, waving his hand in the air and yelling.

"You've been on Earth ***way*** too long, retard," Zeus informed the monkey dryly, looking unimpressed. "For one thing, you're starting to talk like an Earthling. Not to mention it's affecting your brain: you can't just ***take*** a morpher from the Ranger it's bonded to. ***I*** could have told you that if you'd bothered to listen."

"Try listening to this!" Silver Astro shouted. "Super Silverizer!" Aiming swiftly, he fired several shots at the feet of the two villains, blinding them in a shower of sparks. As soon as their eyes were off of him, he was running.

He didn't bother to waste anymore time on subtlety; he blasted open the cell door, rushing to the crumpled form inside. "Lord Billy?" he asked anxiously. "My lord, can you hear me?"

There was a soft, barely audible groan.

"Thank Solara," he breathed, carefully gathering the older man up in his arms. "Don't worry; I'll get you straight to the Astro Megaship. D.E.C.A. will take care of you. Galaxy Glider; Hang Ten!"

The board came rushing toward him from its hiding place on the ship. Clutching his charge tightly he jumped aboard, the atmospheric shield quickly forming around them. Blasting a hole through the cell wall into space, they headed out as fast as the thrusters could carry him.

* * *

"Wait to go, ***Boss***," Goldar sneered, still clutching his arm. "You let the Silver Ranger get away!"

Zeus casually blasted him with lightning, absently enjoying the sound of his screams. "Shut up, dumbass." He looked thoughtful. "So the Astro Rangers have Billy." Slowly, he began to smile again as his eyes glinted with navy light. "This could get interesting."


	6. Unforseen Enemy

Chapter 6:Unforseen Enemy

The Astro Rangers were in the middle of sensor sweeps as usual. Nothing had turned up, and most of them were dangerously close to falling asleep at their posts. Andros remained stubbornly focused, which had earned him more than one glare.

"Approaching Galaxy Glider," D.E.C.A. announced suddenly. "Shall I open the Hanger?"

T.J. snapped up straight, blinking blearily. "Huh?"

Andros frowned. "Galaxy Glider? You mean Zhane?"

"What's he doing here?" Cassie asked, trying to discretely rub her eyes. "I thought he was still with the Rebels ... "

"One way to find out," Carlos reminded them.

Ashley smiled up at the camera. "Of course you can let him in, D.E.C.A. It's Zhane!"

"Let's go meet him," Cassie suggested.

As they all began to stand and turn to head for the Hanger, the Silver Astro abruptly appeared in the door of the Megalift. In his arms he clutched a body. His helmet lifted as they stared at him in surprise. "I found you," he murmured.

"Zhane!" Andros yelped, darting forward to catch the Silver Ranger as he stumbled.

"I'm okay," he gasped. "Just ... took more energy to pilot my Galaxy Glider for two. Lord Billy ... he needs help."

Cassie looked alarmed. "Lord Billy?"

Carlos was already helping lay the young man carefully on the ground as Ashley fussed over him. "He's alive, but he doesn't look too good," she told them worriedly.

"What happened? What's going on?" T.J. demanded.

Zhane demorphed with a sigh that was more of a groan. "'m okay," he insisted, gently pushing Andros back as he hovered. "Just tired. Galaxy Gliders aren't meant for two people." He managed a weak smile.

"Then why did you?" Carlos asked, frowning at him.

"It was faster. And no one was going to pay much attention to it, since it's not a Zord," he answered, leaning back against a console as he mopped his forehead. "I had to get back to you guys in time. There's - "

"A new threat?"

Everyone jumped, spinning around and leaping to their feet as they stared at the main view screen.

The image displayed was of someone sprawled across the arms of a chair. The chair turned, revealing a tall, muscular teenager about their own age, with brown hair pulled into a small ponytail at the back of his neck and piercing black eyes. He smirked at them all. "Well, if it isn't the Astro Rangers," he drawled. "Long time no see, right Teej?"

"***That's*** why I'm here," Zhane told them, glaring at the teen. "He's the one who kidnapped Lord Billy!"

"Who are you?" T.J. demanded.

He feigned hurt. "You don't recognize me? Then again, it has been three months."

"Cut to the point," Andros snapped.

"Temper, temper, Red Ranger," he mocked. "I only wanted to get the obligatory evil villain gloating out of the way. It's not like Zhane doesn't know what's going on anyway. Oh ... were you about to tell them?" he asked, feigning concern.

"Tell us what?" Ashley asked warily.

"I'm Zeus," he answered with a grin that was somehow disturbingly familiar. "But most people used to call me Justin Stewart."

The Earthling Rangers stared in shock, while Andros stiffened.

The smirk returned. "Don't worry: Geek Boy isn't dead. I've just drained all the Blue Morphin Energy from his body."

Andros' head came up, eyes wide before narrowing furiously. "You ***what***?"

The smirk turned into an almost lazy smile. "See, I'm tired of being bored. And I missed being able to morph." He lifted his right wrist, seeming to admire the morpher he wore. "Oh, and ... I've decided to kill you all," he added.

They stared in stunned silence.

He glanced up, chuckling to himself. "Something wrong?"

Zhane swallowed as he suddenly realized what the creepy feeling Zeus gave him meant. "You're ... "

He did grin then, and now that they were looking for it the expression that was so definitely Justin it was frightening. "Everyone's started calling me the Dark Blue Ranger now. Sounds kinda dorky, but hey. Whatever works." He shrugged.

"Why?" Andros demanded. "Why would you turn against your own - "

"***Don't***. Go there," Zeus interrupted, his eyes flashing with navy light as he glared. "I'm not 'turning' against anybody. I'm sick of being everyone's last thought, the cast-off. I'm done with people who only want to be there when it's convenient." He was trembling with fury.

Abruptly he seemed to calm himself.. He smiled again, giving them that frightening bright grin. "I've decided to conduct an experiment. See, Power Rangers from Earth are supposed to be the strongest for some reason. That's why no one's ever been able to conquer Earth. So I wanna know just what it takes to ***break*** an Earth Ranger." His eyes seemed to glitter in anticipation. "How much do you have to suffer before you start to scream for mercy?"

"Justin ... " Cassie breathed, staring at him in horror.

He shook his head, waving a finger. "Uh-uh! Zeus," he reminded her with another bright smile. "Justin is dead."

T.J. had gone very still. "No," he said softly.

Zeus' eyes snapped to him, and the smirk was back. "Get used to it, Teej. 'Justin' is just a memory."

He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms behind his head. "We're gonna play a game," he announced cheerfully. "I'm going to take the former Rangers of Earth. Your job is to stop me before I get them all. Got it?" He flashed them another bright smile. "Tag; you're it!"

The view screen abruptly went black.

"What ... what was that ?" Carlos demanded, still looking shaken.

"The Blue Ranger has fallen," Andros said softly, staring at the screen. "The Dark Rangers are nearly complete."

"Dark Rangers?" Ashley repeated, dropping back down to Billy's side.

"There's a prophecy, written centuries ago," Zhane explained. "It says that the Power Rangers will fall, one of each color, into darkness."

"But that's ... it's just a prophecy," Cassie protested. "It can't be true!"

Zhane shook his head. "Most of the Rangers have already turned. All that was left was Blue," he hesitated, then finished, "And Silver."

"And if the former Blue Turbo Ranger has turned ... " Andros trailed off. His eyes flickered to Zhane uneasily.

"How many Silver Rangers are there?" Ashley asked, knowing somehow she wouldn't like the answer.

"Me," Zhane said evenly.

* * *

Tommy Oliver sighed quietly to himself as he pulled his car off the track. Admittedly, that was his best run in awhile, but it still wasn't saying much. He couldn't understand it any better than anyone else. Even after giving up the Power, his reflexes had been extraordinary, and he was fast on his way to becoming one of the top racers in the circuit. But one night several months ago he'd woken up from a nightmare he couldn't remember, shouting "No!" A restless feeling had settled over him, and hadn't left him since. It made him distracted and occasionally irritable, and seriously affected his driving. Something was telling him that he needed to be somewhere else, but he didn't know ***where*** that somewhere was. That feeling had grown yesterday, along with a dark sense of foreboding.

Physically Tommy hadn't changed much over the last year. He still practiced karate and exercised often, so he remained in fantastic shape. The muscle strength required to control the cars he drove hadn't hurt either. The perm he'd let Kat and Tanya convince him to get had finally grown out a little, and he'd found a hairdresser that had straightened it again for him. The problem was when you looked into his face: his eyes were far too old and wise for a young man of nineteen, nearly twenty now. Circles darkened his features due to lack of sleep, and he had the lines of someone who didn't laugh as much as they should anymore.

He climbed out of the car and left it for the mechanics to worry over. They were still trying to figure out if the problem was in the car, and nothing he could say had convinced them it was him. He gave another weary sigh as he headed up towards where his uncle would be watching, dreading the inevitable disappointed look and criticism. Driving had been fun once; he wasn't sure when it had stopped.

"Tommy! Hey, Tommy!"

He paused and glanced back. A smile crossed his face almost instantly as the teen ran toward him. "T.J.! Good to see you man!" He eyed his clothing with a raised eyebrow as they shook hands. "Nice outfit."

T.J. smiled slightly. "This is my Megaship uniform," he explained. "I didn't get time to change."

"So you're one of those Space Rangers now?" Tommy asked curiously.

T.J. blinked, then frowned slightly. "Actually, we're Astro Rangers. Didn't Justin tell you?"

He shook his head, guilt welling up instantly. "I haven't been able to keep in touch with him." The worried frown on T.J.'s face was bringing back that unsettled feeling full-force. "What's going on?"

"Justin's joined up with a group called the Dark Rangers."

It felt like a bucket of ice had been dumped over his head. -( _No. Not Justin, _)- he pleaded silently. -( *****_**Anyone***__ but Justin ... _)-

"He says his name's Zeus now. He's a totally different person; he doesn't even look like Justin anymore," T.J. continued, heedless of Tommy's pained expression. "He also said he was going to take kidnap all of Earth's old Rangers. That's why we've got to get you out of here and someplace safe."

It took a few more seconds for Tommy's mind to pass the idea of the boy he'd considered to be so charmingly innocent as evil and catch up to T.J.'s words. Almost immediately he was calculating what needed to be done, who needed to be called, and what would need to happen for them to save Justin. He strode quickly towards his uncle's office, T.J. hurrying after him. There was no time to lose.

A thought occurred to him suddenly, and he glanced back at T.J. "Since when do you wear Blue?"

* * *

Katherine Hillard smiled at her lunch companion as he cracked another joke. He wasn't the type of person she would have expected herself to spend time with, but now she couldn't imagine how she would have gotten as far through the Royal Dance Academy as she had without him. He'd been wonderfully encouraging, and she did her best to be there for him as well. They'd become one another's confidant and dearest friend, which made perfect sense to her now even if it hadn't at first.

- _They'd met in a mutual class, catching each other's eye across the room. There had been something about him that struck her as oddly familiar, but she'd pushed the feeling aside. _

_He was the one who had caught up to her after class over a week later. He'd looked at her strangely, then offered a smile. "You wear a lot of pink, you know that?"_

_It had been a struggle not to freeze or show her surprise. No one had ever commented on how much she wore her old color. The Power had prevented people from thinking about it and making the connection, and while she wasn't a Ranger anymore, it had still never been noted. She'd forced herself to look at him and paused. "You wear a lot of black," she'd commented at last._

_His grin had widened slightly. "You have any funky watches lying around?" He'd tilted his wrist toward her, flashing a communicator._

_She'd carefully raised her own. "Specially made."_

_Now the grin was about to take over his face as he held out his hand, coincidentally the one bearing the communicator. "I'm Zack."_

_She accepted it, giving a warm smile of her own. "Kat."_ -

"Kat? You in there? My jokes aren't ***that*** bad."

She blinked, offering an apologetic smile to her friend. "Sorry. My mind was wandering."

Zack's teasing expression faded into a more serious one. "Still feeling it?"

She nodded. A restless feeling had settled over them both several months ago, and had intensified over the last few days. "I don't see how you can hide something so powerful," she admitted.

Kat was still as graceful and tall as ever, her face clear of makeup and her blue eyes bright and warm. Her blond hair had been cut to her chin after a dare from Zack, and she'd been forced to concede his point that it did look good on her. She had managed to convince him to get rid of the braids and go back to the sensible box cut, although she'd snapped a few pictures of the afro he'd had in-between the transition, now hidden where he would never find and destroy them.

He shrugged slightly. "Practice. Besides, you're too nice and gentle to be good at hiding emotion."

That made her smile slightly. "While you're outlandish and overbearing?" she teased.

"_Touché_!" he laughed. His eyes flickered to something over her shoulder, the smile fading as he said under his breath "Unidentified teenager coming our way." Even now, Ranger instincts died hard.

She did her best to appear oblivious, only looking up when someone approached their table with a slight cough. "Kat?"

She blinked, a smile spreading across her face almost instantly. "Cassie! It's good to see you." She glanced at Zack. "Cassie came after me," she reassured him.

The tension evaporated instantly. "Nice to meet you," he said cheerfully. "Name's Zack."

Cassie smiled back, but it seemed a bit strained. "Nice to meet you," she echoed.

Kat looked at her worriedly. "Cassie? What's wrong?"

She hesitated, then took the empty seat at their table. "It's Justin," she said softly.

Kat stiffened, mothering instincts surging as they always did in Justin's case. "What's happened to him? Is he all right?"

Cassie shook her head. "He's not ... Justin anymore," she told them hesitantly. "He calls himself Zeus."

"Zeus?" she echoed, startled.

"Greek god of lightning, ruler of the gods," Zack murmured.

Cassie nodded reluctantly. "Billy said he has control over lightning, and he seems to be the leader of the Dark Rangers."

Zack looked up sharply. "Billy?"

"Zeus says he's coming after former Rangers," she continued. "The Astro Rangers are gathering everyone so we can get them some place safe."

Kat and Zack exchanged glances. The idea of being taken some place safe didn't really bother them; that was what Rangers did. But Kat had told Zack all about the young Blue Turbo Ranger. And if one Ranger was in trouble, there was only one thing for them to do.

"Let's make some phone calls and get out of here," Zack said abruptly, fishing out his wallet.

* * *

"This next song is ... " The words were automatic, and Tanya Sloan herself barely registered what she was saying. Working at the radio station was fun for awhile, but something had been bothering her for so long she had lost her focus. It was hard to be cheerful and upbeat when it felt like something had been taken from her and there was nothing she could do to fix it, no matter how much she wanted to.

The commercial break was a welcome relief, and she headed for the snack machine. She stopped outside the door, staring at the girl in silver and yellow leaning against the wall. She couldn't help remembering when they'd first met; neither of them looked any different, with the exception of the other girl's strange new clothing and slightly longer hair. "Ashley?"

She smiled, or tried to rather. It was definitely forced, and didn't reach her eyes. "Hi, Tanya. I hope you don't mind me just dropping by ... "

Tanya shook her head. This wasn't a social call; she could tell. "What's happening?"

Ashley took a deep breath. "Justin - "

"I'll tell my boss," she interrupted, reaching back in to grab her coat. The name was enough; she didn't need to know anything more. Justin needed her, and she was coming.

* * *

Adam Park stepped out of his tiny trailer feeling like a ball of lint. He'd been shook, thrown, shot, crushed, and lit on fire in the span of a single day. Stunt work was interesting to say the least, but he was beginning to realize why not many people stuck with the profession. He'd watched another guy snap his wrist during a sequence just that morning.

A boy in silver and black was standing outside the dining tent, glancing up as he approached. He smiled faintly. "You know you blend in pretty well around here with that outfit." he commented. "Very Sci-fi."

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "Hope I look better than you," he drawled.

The smile turned wry. "Thanks. Business?"

Carlos nodded. "I need to get you out of here. He's after you guys this time, not just us."

He frowned slightly. This was new. "Who is?"

"Justin."

Adam's eyes widened, and he hissed a curse under his breath. Carlos looked slightly jealous at that; probably because the Power still prevented him from swearing. "I'll tell my trainer. We'd better get Rocky."

"Rocky?" Carlos echoed, confused.

He nodded even as he started in the other direction. "No one knows Justin better than Rocky. He's the one who brought him into the group, anyway."

If the situation hadn't been so dire, he would have smiled at Carlos' exclamation. "How many of you guys ***are*** there?"


	7. In with the Older

Chapter 7:In with the Older

Jason Lee Scott looked up at the knock on his door. "It never fails," he grumbled as he dried his hands. "As soon as it's my turn to do the dishes, I keep getting interrupted. And Amber ***still*** thinks I do it on purpose." He sighed as he opened the door, only to blink at one of the people who stood on the other side of it. "Tommy? How did you know I was in Angel Grove? And since when have you been back?"

Tommy grinned, yanking his friend in for a hug. "T.J. had D.E.C.A. find you, since you've gotten so bad about letters. What are you doing here, anyway? Last I heard you were in Nevada."

Jason gave him a sheepish smile. "Actually, I've been back for over a week. Amber was demanding physical evidence that I'm still alive."

That got a laugh. "She still hates that motorcycle?"

"I'm amazed she's only threatened to sell 'that vile deathtrap' four times since I got here." He turned as Tommy laughed again, leaving the door open for them. "Come on in. I gotta finish the dishes before Amber really does sell my bike. Who's your friend?"

Like Tommy, Jason hadn't changed all that much since his Ranger days. His hair was the same short cut, and he was just as toned and muscular as ever. The strange thing about him was that he was dressed in nearly all black; black boots, black jeans, and black belt, contrasted by a red tank top. T.J. caught notice of a black leather jacket hanging off the back of a chair and forced himself not to ask.

Tommy took the soapy dish from Jason's hands, rinsing it quickly. He missed Jason's grin; Tommy's own mother was so strict about chores, he tended to help out at his friends' houses. "This is T.J."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jason. I'd shake your hand, but uh ... "

"That's okay," T.J. smiled slightly, leaning back against a counter.

"So, what's up? You come to offer me a chance to operate alien technology to save the world?" Jason joked. His smile faded when Tommy didn't laugh. "Tommy?"

"I'm not going to ask you to be a Ranger again," Tommy said quietly, guilt flooding through him at the thought. "T.J.'s the Blue Astro Ranger; he came to get me. You remember Justin?"

"The kid Kim fell in love with after the Miranthius thing, that she swore up and down was just like you? Yeah."

"Justin's just become a lot more like me," he said softly.

Jason looked at him quizzically for a moment before the expression registered. "Oh, man ... " he breathed. "He's an evil Ranger?"

"Does this happen a lot or something?" T.J. spoke up with a frown. "You guys are really calm about this."

"Five times. Twice for me, once for Kat, once for Jason, and once for Kimberly. Don't even get me started on how many spells have been done on us," Tommy informed him.

T.J. looked appropriately startled.

Jason frowned suddenly. "If Justin's an evil Ranger, then he'll be trying to destroy other Rangers. Why are you guys bringing me into this? I'm not a Ranger anymore." He ignored the pang in his heart at the thought.

"Zeus - that's what Justin's calling himself now - said he was going after the old Earth Rangers. Zhane said he's part of a prophecy of evil Rangers, and they're supposed to take the Power from other Rangers. We figured the first thing to do was get all of you guys to the Megaship before he gets to you," T.J. explained.

Tommy put the last dish away. "Man, you guys need a dishwasher," he muttered. "Are there any other chores you need to do before we go?"

"Just lock my bike up and leave Amber a message," Jason answered, grabbing the leather jacket off the chair as he headed to the garage. A thought occurred to him, and he glanced back over his shoulder. "Hey T.J., who's Zhane?"

"The Silver Astro Ranger," the younger boy supplied.

Tommy looked startled as Jason nodded and hurried to save his pride and joy from his overprotective big sister. "There's Silver now? How many colors don't we know about?"

T.J. shrugged. "I probably know less than you do."

* * *

"Wow," Ashley whispered as she looked around. Tanya had told her the village in Africa where she could find another former Ranger, and D.E.C.A. had sent them at her request. The African savannah was gorgeous, despite the sun baking down on them and making her uncomfortable in her Megaship uniform.

Tanya smiled. "Beautiful, isn't it?"

Ashley nodded wordlessly.

"Aisha should be in the village over that hill," Tanya informed her. "That's where I used to live."

"What happened?" she asked, looking concerned.

She chuckled. "A villain called Master Vile had turned back time, and the Rangers were looking for the fragments of something called the Zeo Crystal. The one Aisha needed was here. But when she found it, she also found out there was a plague affecting the animals here. She decided to stay and help, and sent me back with her crystal." A distant, somewhat sad smile came over her face. "When the Zeo Crystal restored time, Aisha's family had moved to Africa when she was a child. My parents had disappeared on an archeological dig, but instead of being adopted by the tribe when we were here, I was adopted by foster parents while we were in America. As far as everyone else knows, I grew up with Rocky and Adam and the three of us moved to Angel Grove and became Rangers at the same time. Only the rest of the Rangers know what originally happened." The smile widened slightly, but her eyes were pained. "I have memories of both timelines."

Ashley stared at her, at a loss for words. There wasn't much she could say in response. "Oh," she said at last.

They lapsed into silence as they started up the hill.

"Going somewhere?"

Both snapped around, shifting into defensive stances. A girl about Tanya's age stood behind them, hands on her hips as she grinned. Her hair was in tiny braids pulled into a larger ponytail, and she wore tribal clothing.

Tanya relaxed with a laugh. "Thanks for scaring us!"

She merely grinned wider. "You're welcome. What's up? I'm guessing it's something to do with Rangers, judging by your friend in yellow."

"This is Ashley, Yellow Space Ranger. Ashley, this is Aisha, the second Yellow Ranger," Tanya introduced them.

Ashley smiled, resisting the urge to correct that she was the Yellow Astro Ranger. "It's nice to meet you. I wish it could be in better circumstances."

"Likewise," Aisha returned. "So, what's up? More Zedd and Rita nastiness?"

Tanya shook her head as Ashley looked confused. "The Machine Empire chased them off a couple years ago, and Divatox took over when they finally gave up trying to defeat them."

"Actually, it's another former Ranger," Ashley put in. "His name's Justin Stewart. He used to be Blue Turbo."

Aisha wrinkled her nose. "Blue Turbo? Man, am I behind the times."

"He's threatening to kidnap former Earth Rangers and take over the universe with a group of evil Rangers," Ashley continued.

Aisha blinked, while Tanya frowned. She hadn't gotten the whole explanation yet. "Are you saying Justin's evil?" Tanya demanded.

Ashley nodded. "He called himself Zeus. He's ... not Justin anymore."

"So evil Rangers are threatening the universe, and they want to kidnap me to help them," Aisha repeated, raising her eyebrows. At Ashley's nod, she gave a predatory grin. "I'll tell Ashala I'm leaving. Kicking evil butt is my specialty." With that, she trotted up the hill.

Ashley blinked, then glanced at Tanya. The older girl merely shrugged. "That's Aisha."

Privately, Ashley found herself wondering if it was a Yellow Ranger thing.

* * *

"Michael, Marcus, and Myron DeSantos, get your butts back in here!"

Carlos looked at the door warily, eyeing Adam. "Are you sure about this?"

Adam almost smiled. "I'm sure," he confirmed

The door flew open and three identical teenage boys not quite Carlos' age barreled out. Adam managed to snag two as they passed him, getting indignant squawks. "Adam! Let go before Rocky catches us!" one pleaded.

"You're supposed to be the cool friend!" the other put in.

Adam chuckled. "Sorry, guys. I know you too well. If you're running, Rocky's gonna get you sooner or later."

A slightly older boy with short light brown hair that curled slightly at the end over a red headband appeared in the doorway, brown eyes narrowing as the one that Adam had missed tried to make a run for it. He sprinted forward and tackled him to the ground, just managing to get him into a headlock. He stood, dragging the boy back with him. "What did I say about pranks in the house?" he demanded. "Nel almost got flattened when she stepped in that peanut butter! Go inside and apologize to her, then clean up your mess."

"But it wasn't our fault!" the second boy Adam held protested.

"And apologizing to Nel is cruel and unusual punishment!" added the one struggling against Rocky.

Rocky's eyes narrowed. "Would you rather I call Mama and Papa at the restaurant?" he threatened.

All three boys paled. "We'll do it," they chorused begrudgingly.

Rocky nodded in satisfaction. "Good. Now get." He released the one he held with a shove to the house. Adam let go of his own captives, and they trudged after the first.

Rocky turned to them with a grin. "Hey, guys. What's up?"

Carlos raised an eyebrow. "Are things always like that around here?"

"Usually," Adam told him with a faint grin of his own. "Carlos, this is Rocky. Rocky, Carlos."

"Nice to meet you," Rocky said cheerfully, holding out a hand.

Carlos accepted, suddenly unsure if he'd be so welcome once the reason for their visit became clear. "Likewise."

"So what's wrong?" he asked, still in that cheerful, upbeat tone of voice.

Carlos startled. "How did you - "

"Adam can't lie to me for anything," Rocky informed him. "It's all over his face. Something's wrong, and I'm not gonna like it."

Adam gave another slight smile at that. "Even if I haven't seen you in a year?"

Rocky looked at him, abruptly serious. "I'll always be able to read you, Adam."

He stared back, clearly startled by the intensity in his friend's gaze.

Carlos had the sudden feeling that he was intruding.

"Carlos says Justin is after us," Adam said finally, breaking the silence.

Rocky went still. "Justin?" he repeated slowly.

"He's calling himself the Dark Blue Ranger now," Carlos spoke up. "Zhane says it's part of an ancient prophecy about evil Rangers."

Rocky's head snapped back up, eyes wide in horror. "Tommy! And Kat - "

Carlos shook his head. "They're fine. T.J. and Cassie are getting them. Apparently the only colors that hadn't turned already were Blue and Silver. But he said something about going after all the old Earth Rangers, so we're taking you guys to the Megaship before he can."

The horror was gone, now replaced by worry as Rocky shook his head. "I can't," he said helplessly. "I wanna help Justin, believe me I do. But I've got Sib Duty until my parents get off work tonight."

Adam frowned. "Aren't Bri or Ria around?"

He shook his head again. "Bri's gone to another hockey game with some friends, and Ria's working all week. Rick's not even in the country, and I don't trust The Trio alone with Vannah and Nel. Heck, I don't trust them alone at all."

"You'd think sixteen year olds would be more reliable," Adam murmured.

Rocky snorted. "Not with those three."

Their musing was distracted by the sound of the family van pulling into the drive. Rocky looked up in surprise as his mother got out. "Mama? What are you doing home so early? Is everything all right?"

She smiled at him, looking weary as she removed the apron bearing the DeSantos restaurant logo. "It's okay, Rocky. Nel called and told me one of your friends needed your help. You go on. We'll be fine."

Rocky looked startled. "She did?"

"Be careful, Rocky," came a voice from behind him. The little girl's words were innocent enough, but her expression was serious.

He smiled at her, crouching down. "I will, Munchkin. Thanks for telling Mama I had to go."

She gave him a hug in response, squeezing tightly. "_Te quiero_."

"_Te quiero_," he whispered back. He ruffled her hair as he stood, gave another hug to his mother, and went to join Adam and Carlos. The girl pulled her mother inside as she chatted animatedly, leaving the three alone.

Carlos frowned after her. "It almost seems like she knew."

Rocky shrugged. "Nel's always been like that. We'd better get out of here before anyone else comes out looking for me."

Adam chuckled. "Still the popular older brother."

"Lucky me," Rocky sighed as Carlos contacted D.E.C.A. He glanced at his old friend. "Adam, you cut your hair again."

Adam smiled at his expression. "Stunt men don't want long hair," he informed him, subconsciously running his hand up to the ear-length dark curls.

Carlos rolled his eyes and grabbed their hands. "I think this is a little more important than talking about your hair."

"Man, ***nothing*** is more important than good hair," Rocky returned. "Well, that and good food, good friends ... "

Carlos sighed and teleported to D.E.C.A.

* * *

Kimberly Hart was in The Zone. Her movements were flawless and she knew it. There was only the beam and her, in total harmony. Nothing could bother her here; she was perfect.

Or at least she had been until that nagging ache started to fill her chest.

She managed to complete her routine, albeit with less than her usual perfection. She posed after the dismount, then turned to see Zack Taylor, Katherine Hillard, and a girl she'd never met before applauding her with awed smiles. Delight bubbled up inside of her at the sight of her friends, and she bounded forward with a squeal of "Zack! Kat!"

She embraced both tightly as Zack laughed. "It's good to see you too, Kim."

Kimberly beamed at him when they separated, then turned to the new girl with an equally warm smile and offered a hand. "Hi. I'm Kimberly."

"Cassie," she returned with a smile of her own.

Kimberly stepped back again, cocking her head and glancing back and forth between the three of them. Her hair had been pulled into a tight bun, which bobbed back and forth as she moved her head. "Something's wrong," she declared softly. She didn't know how, but she knew. Something had happened, and she was needed. "What is it?"

The pain that crossed Cassie's face and the pure ache in Kat's made her heart throb in sympathy. "It's Justin," Kat said at last.

Kimberly paled, instantly remembering the bright, cheerful young boy she'd met during the Miranthius Nightmare. There had been more to him than met the eye, but something about him had drawn her to him. It was sort of like looking at a young Tommy; he'd needed a friend so badly she could almost feel it. They'd only talked a bit, but she'd liked him instantly, and they'd gotten along well.

"He's calling himself Zeus and said he was going after all of Earth's former Rangers," Cassie continued softly. "The Astro Rangers are getting everyone together before he finds them."

Kimberly was quiet for a moment, staring at the floor as she thought. "Give me five minutes, and then we'll get my stuff," she said at last. She turned as they nodded, heading toward Coach Schmitt's office. Thoughts of Justin ran through her mind, and her eyes were teary by the time she opened the door. "Coach?" she asked.

He looked up, frowning at her. "Come in, Kimberly."

She slipped inside, shutting the door behind her and taking a seat. Contrary to the tough and harsh attitude he gave off in practice, Coach sincerely cared about his gymnasts, and had become sort of a surrogate parent while they were there. He'd deny it if anyone said anything, but in his own gruff way he loved them all. He'd been wonderful, and she hated having to do this.

She looked up at him at last, sniffling as she tried not to cry. She'd been extremely emotional ever since leaving Angel Grove, several times to the point of having anxiety attacks. Everyone had gotten used to it, but she still hated the strange way she lacked control now. She reached for the tissue box he offered her without question, sniffling again and dabbing at her eyes. At least this was one time it would come in handy.

"There's been a family emergency," she managed at last. It was true; she considered the Rangers to be her family just as all of them did, and how well she did or didn't know Justin didn't matter. Part of the family was in trouble, and she was needed. There was no question of what she had to do. "I'm going to have to leave the Center."

He frowned. "We're training for the preliminaries. Kimberly, if you leave now you won't be able to compete in the Pan Globals."

She nodded. "I know. But no matter how hard I've trained for this, my family will always come first." Another truth; Rangers were more important than a competition. If they needed her, she was there.

He sighed heavily. "I don't approve of this," he told her. "You have a good chance of winning a medal, Kimberly. I know your family is important to you, but can't they wait? I don't want to see you give up right before the last stretch."

She smiled through her tears. She wasn't angry at his words; he didn't understand after all, and he was just worried for her. "They need me, Coach. I'd never forgive myself if I wasn't there for them. I wouldn't have made it here at all if it they hadn't encouraged me. I'm sorry, but I have to go to them."

He sighed again. "I still don't approve, but I'll respect your decision." He stood then, moving to give her a hug. "Are you leaving right away?"

She hugged him back tightly. "As soon as I get my stuff."

He shook his head. "Grab what's necessary and leave everything else. I'll have it shipped to you."

She really did start to cry then. She was giving up her dream for someone she barely knew, and Coach, who'd had such high hopes for her, was nothing but supportive. It wasn't fair. But then, being a Ranger had never been about life being fair. And as Zordon had told them, once a Ranger, always a Ranger.

She dried her eyes as she finally left the office, looking up at the trio. "Let's go."

* * *

"It's kind of ironic," Aisha mused as she followed Ashley and Tanya down the hall to the room D.E.C.A. had told them to look for. A few people looked at them oddly, being that Aisha still wore her tribal clothes and Ashley in her uniform next to Tanya's casual jeans and yellow T-shirt, but none of them paid any attention. "Out of all of us, I never figured Trini'd be the one to do something as ordinary as going to college. Not even an ivy league, either. I always figured she was above community college."

Tanya glanced at her, amused. "You make her sound like a snob."

"Of course she's not," Aisha seemed offended at the very thought. "Trini's one of the nicest people I've ever met. It's just that she's always struck me as one of those destined for greatness types of people."

Ashley fought back a smile as she knocked on the door at last. Inwardly, she worried if this was going to be a lost cause. This Trini that Aisha had insisted they come find barely knew Aisha, and had only met Tanya in this alternate timeline or whatever. She'd never met Ashley or Justin. Would she even want to come? Would she believe them at all?

A delicate looking Asian girl with waist-length hair opened the door, then gave her a warm smile that calmed all of her worries almost instantly. "Hello," she said gently. "Come in."

Ashley and Tanya entered nervously, Aisha breezing through as though this was nothing more than what she'd expected. "Hey, Trini. Sorry to bust in on you," Aisha told her.

Trini just smiled. "It's all right. This is important."

"How'd you know that?" Tanya asked curiously, already taken in by the mysterious and knowing aura the girl seemed to project.

Trini giggled softly. "It's not every day three people show up at my door dressed in yellow clothing from different worlds."

The mysterious aura seemed to shatter around them, and the others found themselves giggling along with her. They were friends in an instant, and while it probably should have surprised them, no one was. Rangers were like that.

At last the laughter died down, slowly replaced by a more serious atmosphere. "It's Justin, the Blue Turbo Ranger," Ashley told her. "He's part of a prophecy of evil Power Rangers, and he said he's going to kidnap the old Earth Rangers. My team, the Astro Rangers, are getting everyone together and taking them to the Astro Megaship before he can get to them."

Trini nodded in acceptance. "I need to deliver my dropout notices, and leave a message for my parents."

Tanya frowned as the other girl went to her desk, pulling out a few papers. "You sound like you've been expecting this."

Trini glanced at her and smiled slightly. "Only Rangers give me feelings like this," she answered, touching her chest gently. "I knew the moment I felt it that I needed to be ready to leave quickly when it happened."

Ashley looked confused as understanding dawned on Tanya and Aisha. Maybe it was a former Ranger thing.


	8. Reunited

Chapter 8:Reunited

Andros braced himself internally as blue and white light sparkled onto the bridge. He hated crowds, and he hated letting strangers onto his ship. This wasn't going to be easy, but it had to be done. Now if Zhane would stop giving him that sympathetic look, he'd be fine.

He frowned as soon as he saw the second person T.J. had brought. "I thought you were going to bring the former Earth Rangers here."

T.J. looked slightly guilty. "I did, but when I got Tommy, I found out there were more than just the first Turbo Rangers."

"How many more?" he asked suspiciously.

T.J. winced. "Six? Sorry, Andros."

Andros frowned at another sympathetic look. His crowd phobia was becoming noticeable. That wasn't good.

Zhane bounced over to them with a broad grin, trying to distract everyone from Andros. "I'm Zhane, Silver Astro Ranger!" he announced cheerfully.

The two beside T.J. smiled. "Tommy."

"Jason."

Andros hid his surprise, but Zhane handled things a bit more tactfully. "So what are your designations?"

"Designations?" Tommy echoed uncertainly.

"Ranger Designations," he explained patiently. "What Rangers are you?"

They exchanged looks. "I was the first Red Ranger, and Gold Ranger," Jason said at last.

"Green, White, and Red Rangers," Tommy informed him.

Zhane looked bewildered, and T.J. tried not to smile.

"In space, Ranger Designations are color and team," a voice commented from the doorway. "For instance, T.J. is the Blue Astro and former Red Turbo Rangers."

Both of their new guests snapped around to greet the first. "Billy!"

He smiled as he was swept up into two enthusiastic hugs. "It is good to see you both," he told them sincerely, although his gaze seemed slightly off.

Tommy frowned instantly. "What's with all the formality, Billy?"

"Do you have a concussion?" Jason asked suspiciously.

Billy's smiled widened slightly. "Forgive me, Tommy. My life is quite formal these days, and my speech has altered as a result. To answer your question Jason, yes, I am recovering from the effects of a concussion."

"What happened?" Jason demanded, instantly looking protective and concerned at the same time.

Billy's expression became slightly pained. "It is a story I would prefer to hold off telling until everyone has arrived."

"Do you want to sit down, my lord?" Zhane asked in concern.

"Thank you," he said gratefully, sinking into the chair at navigations. He eyed the younger boy after a moment. "And Zhane, I have requested multiple times that you refrain from calling me 'lord'. My preference for being termed as simply 'Billy' is beyond definition."

Zhane shrugged sheepishly. "Old habits die hard?" he offered.

Black and white sparkled behind him. "You couldn't have mentioned there were more of you earlier?" Carlos complained to the boy beside him. Adam, Andros remembered. He'd helped Carlos out before.

Adam looked amused. "It's not something that comes up in casual conversation. I didn't think it'd become an issue."

"Not until the first reunion, at least," the one with them interjected.

"Seems like that's happening sooner than we thought it would," Tommy commented.

The new boy's face lit up instantly. "Tommy! Jason! Good to see you guys!"

Adam smiled faintly as he shook Jason's hand. "Too bad it's not in better circumstances."

The light faded from the new boy's expression, but yellow and white sparkles distracted them all.

"Hi, guys," Ashley said cheerfully. "I brought more friends."

Cassie sparkled into existence with three more people. "Is that everybody?" she asked, glancing around and then back at the tall blond for reassurance.

"That's everybody," Tommy confirmed.

Before anything one else could get a word in, the shorter girl of Cassie's group marched straight up to Tommy and slugged him in the shoulder. "Knock it off," she informed him crossly.

He held up his hands in defense, perplexed. "Knock what off?"

Her hands moved to her hips. "I've known you for five years, Tommy Oliver. I know better than anyone that you're on another guilt trip over this."

The one Carlos had brought groaned. "Man Tommy, give it a rest already. Everything that goes wrong in the universe is not your fault!"

"I still say Rita's spell included something about feeling guilty for the rest of his life," the boy with Cassie commented.

"I thought you were getting over that, Bro," Jason reprimanded gently.

Tommy sighed, rolling his eyes and throwing his hands up in the air. "I give up! You all win! I admit it! I think everything wrong in the universe is all my fault. Do you feel better now?"

"I'll feel better when you stop," the brunette retorted. She glanced back at the rest of the group, her face lighting up instantly. She ran to one of the girls Ashley had brought with a cry of "Trini!" bursting into tears as they hugged. "I've missed you guys so much!"

"Man Kim, ease up on the waterworks," the boy from her group teased gently.

She gave him a dismissive wave. "I'm just so happy to see everyone together again," she sniffled.

Andros cleared his throat, reminding himself to take mental notes on everything. "I think introductions are in order. I'm Andros of KO-35, Red Astro Ranger."

Ashley smiled warmly as she moved to stand beside him. "Ashley, Yellow Astro Ranger, former Yellow Turbo Ranger."

"T.J., Blue Astro Ranger, former Red Turbo Ranger."

"Cassie, Pink Astro Ranger, former Pink Turbo Ranger."

"Carlos, Black Astro Ranger, former Green Turbo Ranger."

Zhane waved from his perch on the console beside Billy's chair. "We sound like the Ignis Rangers. I'm Silver. Call me Zhane."

Andros resisted the urge to twitch.

Billy smiled beside him. "I am already familiar with everyone here, although in future reference for the Earth Rangers, introductions in space include your Ranger Color and Designation. I myself am Billy Cranston of Earth, former Blue Ninja Ranger, Blue Thunder Ranger, and Blue Dino Ranger, for example."

There was a general assortment of blinking.

"Okay, I'm Kimberly, but people call me Kim sometimes," she ventured finally, wiping away the last of her tears. "I think I'm everything Billy said, but in Pink."

"Jason. Uh, Gold Zeo? Red Dino, and whatever the second one was. Red."

Trini chuckled. "Trini, Yellow Thunder and Yellow Dino Rangers."

The boy with Cassie shrugged. "Zack. I was with Trini, so I guess that makes me Black Thunder and Black Dino."

"Tommy, Green Dragon - um, Dino Ranger?" He hesitated until Billy nodded and tried not to smile. "White Ti - Thunder Ranger, White Ninja, Red Zeo, and Red Turbo." The last two references sounded a lot more confident than the first group.

"Rocky, Red Di - wait, Thunder Ranger, Red Ninja, and Blue Zeo." He looked slightly sheepish at the mistake.

"Aisha, Yellow Ninja and Yellow Thunder," she declared confidently.

"Adam, Green Turbo, Green Zeo, Black Ninja, and Black Thunder," he recited carefully, then blinked. "Man, I've got almost as many forms as Tommy. I didn't realize I was that old."

"Thanks for the support, Adam," Tommy said dryly.

"Anytime."

"I'm Tanya, Yellow Turbo and Yellow Zeo," she interjected, rolling her eyes at her former teammates.

"Kat, Pink Turbo, Pink Zeo, and Pink Ninja."

Andros nodded at the last name, reminding himself to write down those mental notes. "I suppose L - I mean, Billy, and Zhane would be the best to explain everything," he decided after a moment of thought.

Zhane glanced at Billy. "You want me to go first?"

Billy smiled. "By all means."

Zhane took a deep breath. "Okay, the story, as it was told to me, is that centuries ago a prophecy was written about the Power Rangers. The prophecy goes like this:

_Courage learns Cruelty, Fighter to Sorceress_

_Commander becomes Mercenary, Artist then Destroyer, Spirit turns Killer_

_Honor fades to Thievery, Healing gives Pain, Heart comes to Hate_

_Knowledge faces Betrayal, and Light turns to Darkness"_

"That makes sense," Rocky commented, rolling his eyes. Adam elbowed him.

"It's referring to Ranger colors," Zhane informed them. "Translated into the Morphin' Philosophy, it says Red, Green, Gold, Black, White, Purple, Yellow, Pink, Blue, and Silver. Every color becomes it's opposite, like a Green Fighter turning into a Sorceress. Greens hate magic; it goes against everything they stand for."

Tommy ignored the knowing grin Zack shot him.

"Everyone pretty much agrees that means that Rangers will turn evil. Unfortunately, that's all anyone knows about it. The prophecy has been slowly coming true for the past couple centuries. It wasn't all that noticeable until about the time the White Ninjetti Ranger fell. It was usually decades in between turnings until then, but Purple went right after that. Yellow and Pink were almost at the same time." He frowned. "I still don't get how a Pink could be a Dark Ranger. It's a ***Pink***," he muttered to himself, as though that explained everything.

Andros gave him an irritated look.

"Right. Anyway, basically it came down to Blue and Silver. And since Blue's gone, they'll be looking for Silver pretty soon, to complete the ranks." His voice remained nonchalant, as though his own color had nothing to do with this.

"Where are all the Silver Rangers?" Tommy spoke up. "Maybe if we can protect them - "

"You're looking at him," Zhane interrupted, his smile almost bitter for once. "Silver and Gold are rare Colors. The Lord of Triforia is the only Gold Ranger these days. There used to be another Silver, but she hasn't been seen for centuries."

"They have already started to make their move," Billy spoke up. "Zeus attacked me as I retired to my rooms several nights ago. When I awoke, he was standing over me. The details are still rather indistinct, but I am aware that he took something from me that has left me feeling particularly drained. I remember another was there, but I could not see their face. He laughed and said to warn my friends, then proceeded to fire upon me with a blaster. When I awoke again, I found myself in the Medical Bay of the Astro Megaship with Ashley."

"He shot you?" Jason demanded incredulously.

"No way," Tanya said instantly, shaking his head. "That wasn't Justin. He ***hates*** hurting people. He didn't even really like destroying monsters!"

"Spells can be pretty powerful, Tanya," Adam told her. "They make you do things you'd never do otherwise."

Tommy and Kat exchanged pain-filled glances.

"So what do we do about it?" Trini asked softly

"You wait for me to finish with you," a voice answered cheerfully. "Thanks for bringing everyone together for me, guys. Now I don't have to track anyone down!"

Everyone spun around to see Zeus leaning against the doorway of the Megalift. "Crap, you guys are slow," he informed them, looking amused. "I've been standing here for almost ten minutes. You didn't even notice when I disabled Alpha and the computer system." He jerked a thumb back over his shoulder to where Alpha was sparking, his lights dimmed.

"Justin?" Kat asked incredulously, staring.

He smirked. "Call me Zeus."

"Justin, please," Tommy took a step forward. "You don't want to do this."

"We're your friends, Justin," Adam tried. "Talk to us."

"Friends?" Zeus repeated. His eyes narrowed, and black lightning crackled at his fingertips. "You call yourselves my ***friends***? You don't even know the ***meaning*** of friendship!" With a yell of rage, the lightning shot out and surrounded everyone. They screamed in pain as it closed in, trapping them all in a tight circle.

Zeus seemed to force himself to calm down, and began to smirk again as he walked around them. "Now, lessee ... "

He looked over the group, seeming to do a mental calculation. "Red, two Yellows, Pink, and ... " He frowned, his gaze seeming to search through them all again. At last he shrugged. "That'll have to do for Green, since there's only one White. Purple ... purple ... " He twisted his mouth to the left in another one of Justin's usual annoyed concentration expressions then shrugged again; a disturbing reminder of who their enemy really was. "They said Red and Pink would work, so that'll have to do. Don't need Blue anymore ... "

He brightened again. "Ooh, guess what I can do now!"

Black lightning began to crackle around his fingers, building up into a blinding flash of light. A holding cell in a dark corridor formed around the group. As they looked around it was immediately apparent that there wasn't much to the area; the empty hallway connected a door at one end, then went straight into their prison.

It was also apparent that Jason, Kimberly, Aisha, Tanya, Adam, T.J., Carlos, and Andros were missing.

"Where are the others?" Tommy demanded angrily.

Zeus laughed at him. "I wouldn't worry about it, Tommy. Kimberly doesn't want you anyway, so what should you be worried about her for?" He faked an expression of realization, pretending to be startled. "Oh, wait. That's right ... Kat didn't want you either."

Rocky stepped forward, staring directly into Zeus' eyes. "Why, Justin?" he asked quietly.

Zeus answered him with a bright smile, his eyes almost seeming to sparkle. "Don't worry Rocky; I'll give Adam back to you when I'm done with him. No promises about what shape he'll be in though."

"Justin ... " Kat tried. "Why are you - "

"Because I hate you all." The smile hadn't faded, but his eyes were cold. "I hate you for everything you've done. You deserve this. All of you." He turned, and walked away, leaving them alone in the cold, dark cell.

Tommy immediately tried to grab the bars on their prison, only to be knocked flying by a powerful burst of energy. Kat and Zack ran to help him and found him only slightly stunned by the impact. He managed to stand, though they held him steady for a few moments longer just to be sure he was truly all right.

"Let's rocket!" Zhane tried, entering his code into his Digimorpher. Nothing happened. He muttered something under his breath. "He must have some sort of morphing shield on this prison. We're stuck."

The remaining nine Rangers stared at one another dismally as it suddenly occurred to them that this time, there would be no reinforcements. Zordon and Dimitria were long gone, along with Alpha 5. Alpha 6 and D.E.C.A. were disabled. Their only possible allies left had no idea where they were or what was going on.

Rocky promptly found a corner to sit in, hugging his knees as he looked miserable. Tommy began to pace back and forth, while Kat tried to get him to calm down. Zack and Trini tended to Billy, who wasn't looking well, and the remaining Astro Rangers sat down together, too unsure of what to do other than stay close to one another.

All the while, they were afraid to ask Billy exactly what might be happening to the others. Judging by his expression and the way he still couldn't function all that well, they didn't think they wanted to know. The prayer he murmured at one point didn't help their worries.

* * *

On an icy planet far from Earth, a young woman jerked up from the console she was monitoring, clutching her heart as she gasped for breath. The pain faded almost immediately, leaving her shaking. Determination entered her eyes, and she spun. "Urado!"

* * *

Deep in the darkest reaches of space, a lone stasis pod drifted lazily. White light glimmered from within, and the pod abruptly changed direction. This time, it moved swiftly with purpose. The occupant continued to sleep.

* * *

Phantom Ranger paused as he moved silently through the forests of the planet Eskan. A fist moved to cover his ruby, the gem glowing swiftly in response. "Cassie ... " he breathed. He vanished in a ripple of air.

* * *

The peaceful atmosphere of the satellite station orbiting the sister planets was shattered by a young girl as she straightened too abruptly on a catwalk and toppled over backwards with a piercing shriek. She twisted in mid-air to land on her feet easily, looking up as her teammates surrounded her in various states of concern. She yowled plaintively, touching her heart. Almost instantly, barking and angry meowing broke out in argument.

* * *

A young, beautiful woman sprawled lazily across a chair, idly rolling a ball of light back and forth between her fingers as the councilman droned on. Her lack of interest was suddenly even more apparent as she straightened, the light ball vanishing. Her eyes closed as her fingertips brushed over her collarbone. Almost immediately she stood, pushing past startled and outraged council members on her way to the chamber door.

A man barred her path; barely her senior, but most certainly one of her dearest friends. Their eyes met, and both nodded. With no word to the angry group behind them, they left for the ship dock.


	9. First to Fall

**Author's Notes/:** After the original Fade to Darkness, I had asked for suggestions on what anyone thought would be the Rangers' biggests fears. Someone responded with a ***massive*** list for almost the entire group, and it was a huge help. Unfortunately, I've lost name of who that was! All I can say is that a great deal of these next few chapters were inspired by a wonderful reviewer who thought long and hard about it. If that person reads this, I'd love to give you credit, so please let me know!

Much thanks to all of you who've reviewed! You guys are giving me so much to think about, and I'll do my best to answer things for you.

Enjoy!

Chapter 9:First to Fall

Jason and Lord Zedd sized one another up warily. Both knew the other to have been their greatest foe once, and had wondered over the past few years what changes had occurred. Zedd was exactly the same, while Jason had filled out even more. "You've grown well, boy," Zedd snarled.

"Funny. You don't seem any different," Jason shot back. He had no idea what was going on. One moment he'd been on the Astro Megaship, the next he was locked in a strange room with Zedd. He was worried about the others and afraid of what was happening, but he refused to let Zedd see any sign of it.

"Immortality will do that to a person."

"Blah, blah, blah. Let's get this over with already," a woman spoke up, looking bored.

Zedd chuckled. "Yes. I look forward to seeing the great Jason Scott crumble at my feet. Proceed, Tearrah."

"That's Lee Scott!" Jason interjected.

- _The monster was winning. He watched, horrified, as Black Ranger was thrown about like a rag doll and finally flung into a tree. Yellow and Blue tried to rush it together and were slammed hard into the ground. Pink Ranger fired her bow rapidly, letting out a piercing scream when it dodged and grabbed her by the throat, hoisting her above the ground. "Jason!" she gasped. "Jason, help me! Please!"_

_But his feet wouldn't move. His throat closed up. He tried to call his Power Sword, but it fell clumsily from his hand. He finally forced his feet forward, only to fall to his knees as his legs gave out. Tremors wracked his body, and his breath came in great gasps. A seizure. But those had stopped when he gave Trey back the Gold Power. Why wasn't he strong enough? Why couldn't he protect them? He had to protect his team, his friends! Why wasn't his body listening to him?_

_"Jase ... " Black Ranger groaned._

_"Jason help us!" Yellow Ranger cried._

_Blue Ranger tried to struggle to his feet, only to be knocked down again. "Jason ... "_

_"Jason!" Pink Ranger shrieked_. -

He shuddered as his vision cleared. For a moment, he could have ***sworn*** he - He shook his head, forcing a smirk to his face. "I don't think so. The Rangers would never be so easy to defeat, and they'd never depend on me that badly. I've made sure of that."

Tearrah smiled. "Then we'll just have to keep trying, won't we?" she purred.

- _He stared at the Green Ranger. "No ... " he whispered. "Not again. Oh, Tommy ... "_

_Green Ranger laughed. "What's the matter Jase? Something wrong? Don't like the new improvement?"_

_"Tommy listen to me! You're not evil! You're my friend!"_

_"Actually, he's __***mine***__," a husky voice informed him. To his horror, Kimberly moved to take Green Ranger's arm, her eyes glowing a deep red. "All mine," she continued._

_"Kim, no! Maligore's spell was broken! The Lyarians cured you!"_

_She chuckled. "Evil is as evil does."_

_Green Ranger powered down to Tommy in a sparkle of green. He grabbed Kimberly's hair roughly, jerking her towards him for a bruising kiss. She smiled at him when he finally let go, and proceeded to curl against his side. Tommy looked back and smirked. "Why don't you join us, Jase? It's so much fun on the dark side."_

_"I miss you, Jason. I can't hear my brother anymore." Kimberly touched her temple to illustrate her point, reminding him of that all-too-brief moment when he was evil and her presence had faded from his mind._

_"Maligore would love to speak with you again," Kat's voice came from behind him, sending chills down his spine. He'd never heard the gentle girl sound so cold._

_He turned to look at her and froze in horror. She and Justin stood on either side of none other than Maligore himself with identical evil grins and red eyes. The monster's eyes glowed and it reached out, seizing his face_. -

He shook off himself free from that vision as well. "Nice try, Radiator Face," he forced out, trying to forget the images that had seemed so real. "But no dice."

Zedd growled, while Tearrah looked positively delighted. "I love a challenge," she commented.

- _The battle had been horribly bloody. He didn't know when Putties had started to bleed, but it was a sickening sight. The bodies and blood hadn't disappeared when they or the monster had been destroyed, either. He banished his red - soaked Power Sword, making a mental note to ask Zordon how to clean it later. He could hear the sounds of Kimberly retching quietly into the bushes, the glimmer of color in the corner of his eye assuring him that Yellow Ranger was taking care of her._

_As he looked over the battlefield again, movement caught his eye. He started forward, ready to attack. One of the bodies rolled over at last, and a small, shaking form looked around with large eyes. He froze. Oh, god. A child. A child had witnessed __***this***__?_

_The little girl looked up, eyes shining with tears. He reached out to her instinctively, only to have her scramble back with a shriek. He'd barely registered his bloody glove when she tripped over a body. She turned to look at it and found a face cleaved in half. Her screaming echoed throughout the park_. -

He trembled faintly when his vision cleared. It was an old nightmare, but one that had never fully faded and was always incredibly graphic. He hadn't needed Amber's psychology books to interpret that one; one of his deepest fears was failing to protect the innocence of others, an innocence he'd lost himself long ago. "Not ... good enough."

"But close," Tearrah answered, smiling cruelly. A crazed light had entered her eyes. And was it his imagination, or did Zedd seem to have a faint red glow around him?

- _He raced through the halls of the hospital, cursing Mondo with every name he knew. He'd been called away to fight right as the doctors said Amber was beginning to wake up. The other Rangers needed him for this battle, or else he never would have left. He'd wanted to be there when she woke up, to tell her to never scare him like that again and watch her roll her eyes as though she didn't believe he'd actually been worried._

_He burst into the room and found an empty bed. He looked around wildly for a moment, then stumbled out into the hall. He bumped into Billy and froze at the sight of his friend's tear-filled eyes. "Jason, I'm so sorry," he whispered._

_"Sorry about what? Where's Amber?"_

_Billy bowed his head._

_"Billy? Billy, where is she? Where's my sister?" His voice was starting to rise with his panic._

_"Mr. Scott?"_

_"Lee Scott," he corrected the doctor automatically, turning to look. "Where's my sister?"_

_"Mr. Lee Scott, I'm afraid there was nothing we could do."_

_He froze. "W - what?"_

_"She did regain consciousness at first, but slipped away from us again. We weren't able to revive her."_

_He grabbed the front of the doctor's coat, shoving him hard against a wall. "What the hell are you talking about?" he shouted._

_"Mr. Lee Scott, please!" the doctor said sharply. "Your sister passed away fifteen minutes ago. I'm sorry, but there was nothing we could do! Now please release me!"_

_His hands dropped as he stumbled backwards. He slammed into the opposite wall and slid to the floor. "Amber?" he whispered._

_She couldn't be gone. She was too tough to just give up like that. She'd never leave him; she swore she wouldn't. Said she couldn't expect him to take care of himself anyway._

_She couldn't just leave him. She was the only family he had left. His guardian, his sister, and his mother all at once. He hadn't been able to tell her how much he appreciated everything she'd done for him. She was the only person he'd never needed to look after, because she was the one who took care of him. The only person he wasn't responsible for, his rock, was gone? She couldn't be. She would never just _... -

He curled into his knees, covering his head with his hands as he trembled. She couldn't be dead; she swore! She swore she'd always be there to take care of him! He needed her for that, needed her to be the one responsible for him, needed one person he didn't have to take care of. Needed one person to be the strong one. She was the only family he had. She couldn't just die!

He didn't register the weak feeling coming over him that he'd always feared happening again. He didn't hear Tearrah's shrieking hyena cackle, or Zedd's hearty evil laughter. He barely felt the harsh blows, didn't really care about the metal striking his ribs and sending him flying. When the pain flared in his head, he simply gave into his grief and let himself slip into the darkness.


	10. Mind Invasion

Chapter 10:Mind Invasion

Andros glared at Zeus as the Quantrons restrained him. "What's the matter? Too scared to fight me yourself?" he demanded.

Zeus snorted. "God, do all Light Rangers sound so cocky? How could anyone stand me?"

"So you are too scared," Andros taunted.

"Too smart," Zeus retorted. "Screw that honor and fair fighting bullshit. Why wear myself out when I can torture you without laying a single hand on you?"

Andros humphed. "You don't scare me."

Zeus' smile sent chills down his spine. "Maybe not yet. Strap him in."

Andros struggled the moment he heard the word 'strap', as all prisoners do, but inevitably, he was shoved down into a chair and held in place with tight metal bands. Zeus walked around, inspecting him, and smiled. "I always hated you, you know. After all, you took the place I thought I had."

Andros stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

He rolled his eyes. "All Light Rangers seem to be dense, too. My 'team'," he practically sneered the word, "Ditched me on Earth, and took you in like I never existed."

"That's not true! All they ever talked about the first few months was Earth and you!"

His head snapped back as Zeus punched him. "I hate liars," the Dark Ranger commented coolly. "Turn it on."

A Quantron began flipping switches and adjusting dials. Andros may not have known what this contraption was, but he knew it wasn't good. He started to focus, locking his mind on one of the switches to turn it back off.

A helmet settled over his head, distracting him. "Did you think it was going to be that simple?" Zeus sounded amused. "Let's see what you're truly afraid of, shall we?"

A light flashed on the machine, and pain raced through his mind.

- / _I love her / I need her / I will always protect her / Where is she / Why can't I find her / I will find her whatever it takes / Why does he hate me / I'll be better / I'll be stronger / I'll be faster / I'll be smarter / They finally accept me / I'm happy here / It won't last long / There's so many / We can't win / No not him / I need him / I need him so much / I can't lose him like I lost her / I'll save you / I'll keep you safe until you're ready / Why are they leaving me / Wasn't I good enough / I don't need anyone / I'm trapped / They're closing in / I'm surrounded / No escape / There's too many / Can't fight them all / Why are they here / Go away / I don't need friends / I want friends so much / I'm lonely / What is he doing on my ship / Why didn't I see / D.E.C.A. where are you / Are you all right / I'm sorry / So so sorry I couldn't protect you /_ -

Andros cried out in agony as his mind was raked for information, thoughts from so long ago surging to the surface. It hurt more than anything he could have imagined, and he couldn't do anything. There was no way to sooth it, no way to grab a hold of it and stop the pain.

And then it was suddenly gone, leaving a harsh ache and silence.

"Well," Zeus said after a moment. "Isn't that interesting. The immovable Andros has claustrophobia and abandonment guilt issues. Let's see what we can do with that, shall we?"

- / _I couldn't protect her / Couldn't protect him / I couldn't protect them / I couldn't protect D.E.C.A. / I can't save them / I can't save myself / I'm useless / I'm useless / I'm useless / I'm not strong enough / Not good enough / I can't protect anyone / Can't save myself /_ -

Andros screamed.

* * *

Kimberly stumbled as hands finally threw her to her knees, then glared up defiantly at the woman before her. "What do you want with me?"

The woman chuckled. "Don't play dense. You know why you're here; they've already told you." She paused, suddenly grasping Kimberly's chin and tilting her head up. "You are a beauty, aren't you?" she murmured. She jerked upwards without warning, yanking the smaller girl to her feet and kissing her roughly.

Kimberly bit down hard and kicked her in the shin.

The woman released her, looking thoughtful as she licked the blood from her lips. "Just as sweet as I imagined."

"Enough Tearrah," came a sharp voice with a thick French accent. "Get it over with."

Tearrah looked disappointed. "If I must," she sighed. She raked her gaze over Kimberly one more time. "Such a tasty little morsel ... "

"You have Spectra to concern yourself with," the other woman informed her shortly from the shadows. "Or is one doll no longer enough for you?"

Tearrah chuckled. "Spectra is my favorite doll, but I can ***always*** use more." She sighed. "Ah, well. Later perhaps." She tossed Kimberly a knowing smirk.

- _"Tommy?" she called, walking up the stairs to his room. "Sorry I didn't call first, but your Mom said I should just go on up - "_

_She froze in the doorway of his bedroom._

_Tommy lay in bed, wearing only boxers. Kat was cuddled against his side covered by a sheet, looking up at him adoringly. He flashed her the smile that had melted Kimberly's heart from the moment they met. After a moment, Kat seemed to notice they were being watched and looked up almost lazily. She nudged Tommy, making him glance up at her._

_"Oh. Hey, Kimberly."_

_She stared, shaking hands coming up to cover her mouth as tears welled in her eyes. "Tommy ... I ... why?" she whispered._

_He shrugged. "You were fun for awhile, but seriously Kim. Come on. Without you here, I had to find someone else."_

_"W-why Kat?" The tears were falling freely now. "Why did you have to chose her?"_

_"Kat?" He looked puzzled. "Who said anything about Kat?"_

_"I think you're seeing things, Kim," a familiar voice informed her. To her horror, Jason sat up on the other side of Tommy where Kat had been. Like Tommy, he wore only boxers and seemed quite comfortable where he was_. -

"No!" she shouted, shaking her head. She glared furiously at Tearrah. "How ***dare*** you make me think that of my friends!"

Tearrah laughed. "Friends? Are you sure that's what you think they are?"

Her fists clenched. "They are my friends," she said more quietly. "No matter what happens between us or what they may think of me, they will always be my friends."

"How sweet," Tearrah sneered.

She closed her eyes, instinctively reaching out to the others. Trini had told her once that they were all connected and always would be. All she had to do was believe in the love and trust between them, and they would always be there for her. Now she reached, trying to reassure herself and her friends that they were loved, that no matter what happened here, she would always love them with all her heart.

Finding herself centered once again, her eyes opened slowly as she smiled. The smile vanished instantly as she realized the French woman was glowing with pink light. Looking down at herself, she realized that pink light was being taken from ***her***.

She recoiled, trying to pull it back to herself. But it was too late. The woman glowed brightly, Tearrah gave her hyena laugh, and Kimberly could feel herself weakening. In trying to give them all her love, she had given their enemies exactly what they wanted.

Guilt swept over her, and she realized distantly that this must be how Tommy had felt so long ago.

A point of golden light glimmered in the back of her mind, and one more feeling swept over her as blackness crept into her vision. This one was a gentle, calming wave of love. She wouldn't remember it later, or the familiar voice that soothed her.

-( _"Sleep, my child. Help is coming." _)-

* * *

T.J. hid a wince as he was flung into the metal chair and strapped in tight. He tugged hard, only to have the metal bands dig into his flesh. He hid the pain, refusing to show weakness. Always stay strong in the face of the enemy. That was what Rangers did, right?

"How the mighty have fallen."

His head snapped up. "Justin, why?" he demanded, trying to ignore the fact that the teen before him looked almost nothing like the boy he'd known. "Why are you doing this?"

Zeus shrugged indifferently. "I hate you and every Light Ranger who's ever touched or will touch a Morpher. And I really hate Earth Rangers because of all their bullshit about friendship and teamwork and that 'Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger' crap."

"It's not b.s.!" T.J. countered. "If you weren't our friend, we wouldn't have come to help you!"

"Friend? I'm not stupid, T.J. Genius I.Q., high school student, any of that ring a bell? I know perfectly well the only reason you're here is because I kidnapped you, and if I hadn't, you would have come for the Silver Astro Morpher. And as for helping me ... " He laughed abruptly, looking amused. "Who's the one strapped in the chair, and who's the one holding the switch?"

"You won't," T.J. said confidently. "You're still a good person, no matter what."

Zeus' answering smile was twistedly pleased. "Am I?" He reached over almost casually, hitting something on the console.

- _The secret was out. The Rangers' identities had been revealed only hours before, and already it was all over the news. He'd forced himself to go home, knowing his mother would have a fit when she saw. Might as well get it over with._

_"Ma? Dad? Guys?" he called as he opened the front door._

_"Look out!"_

_He ducked instinctively, just missing the basketball that shot over his head. "Hey!"_

_"Sorry, Bro," his baby brother called as he chased after the ball._

_"Be more careful, Vince!" Rob scolded, walking past with a textbook in one hand._

_"Coming through!" Steve shouted, forcing T.J. to scramble back against the door as he hurried by with a steaming plate in his hands._

_"Keep it down!" Quentin yelled from his room, sounding irritated. "I'm trying to sleep!"_

_Ken just sighed quietly as he walked past, eyes intent on his Gameboy._

_T.J. blinked. Somehow he expected more of a welcome, considering the circumstances. "Hey, Rob? Where's Ma and Dad?"_

_Rob glanced at him. "Ma had to run errands. Dad went to work already."_

_He blinked again. "Oh." He hesitated, then at last ventured "Did anybody see the news lately?"_

_"Huh? Why?"_

_"He means that Power Rangers thing," Ken murmured, never looking away from his game. "That he's the blue one."_

_"Oh, yeah! We saw that," Steve commented on his way back past them._

_"Ma's not mad?" he asked warily._

_"Mad?" Rob gave him a funny look. "Since when does she have time to get mad? Vince has a game tomorrow night, Ken's birthday is coming up, Steve's making another disaster in the kitchen for dinner, I've got exams, and Quentin needs his uniform dry cleaned for work tonight. What's the big deal, anyway?"_

_He stared as his brother walked away, stung. What was the big deal? He was risking his life to save the planet everyday, and his entire family was so absorbed in their own lives they didn't even care. He'd always known life with five brothers was crazy, but somehow he'd thought that this was something that would bring their attention to him. They were all so self - absorbed they couldn't even say 'Wow, that's cool, you're a Power Ranger.' or 'Be careful out there." or __***something***__. Anything to show they noticed, that they cared. _

_But then again, who was to say they did care? It wasn't like he had anything important to add to this family. Quentin was the one who worked hard to make his own money, Rob was the brain, Steve was turning out to be an awesome cook, Ken was a techno wiz, and Vince was the star basketball player. Him? He liked baseball and saved the world a few hundred times. What good was that?_

_What good was he?_ -

T.J. shuddered as his mind cleared, only to find Zeus smiling at him. "Who's good?" the teen asked again, idly hitting the button.

* * *

The moment the Quantrons released them, Aisha and Tanya were back to back, looking around warily. Both held defensive positions, ready to move an a split second. They shifted in a slow circle, never moving apart from each other. "See anything?" Aisha asked under her breath.

"Nothing," Tanya returned quietly.

"How cute. They're trying to protect each other," a woman's voice sneered.

"I'm looking forward to playing with them," another chuckled.

"Who's there?" Aisha shouted.

- _She watched Tommy and Kimberly snuggling together as Billy demonstrated his newest invention. Kat clapped for him in rapt fascination. Rocky and Adam were sparring nearby, but seemed to be more interested in grappling than an actual match. "Hey guys!" she called, jogging toward them._

_No one looked up._

_She faltered for a moment. "Guys?"_

_"Hey!" a new voice called._

_She turned to see Tanya walking up to them all. The other girl was greeted warmly. "What's going on?" she asked, suddenly uncertain._

_Tanya turned with a smirk as the others continued to ignore her. "What do you think's going on? You don't exist, remember?"_

_She stared. Slowly she began to tremble, then abruptly shook her head. "No way. The Rangers wouldn't do that. They're my friends. And Rocky and Adam have been with me since elementary school. We're a team!"_

_"Not anymore," Tanya answered with a snort. "The Rangers have me now. They don't need you; they don't even know you. And Rocky and Adam ... " She glanced over to where the two were getting a little more physical than usual. "Let's just say they've finally discovered other interests."_

_"No ... " She shook her head again. "This isn't right! They wouldn't do this to me! We're a __***team***__! They wouldn't abandon me!"_

_Tanya merely smiled. "Didn't they? After all, it's not like anyone really protested when you stayed in Africa. It's not like they came to visit, or wrote everyday."_

_"They're Power Rangers. They can't just leave Angel Grove. And they're too busy fighting monsters for lots of letters." She pretended not to notice the slight tremble to her voice._

_"Keep telling yourself that. If it makes you feel better," Tanya taunted._

_She growled. "Stop talking about my friends like that! They're not that superficial!"_

_"Aren't they?"_

_"Stop it!"_ -

_- "Hey!" she greeted as she jogged toward the other Rangers._

_Kat looked up at her and blinked. "Um, hello."_

_"Are you new here?" Adam inquired politely._

_She rolled her eyes. "Very funny, guys."_

_Rocky cocked his head. "Do we know you? You seem kinda familiar."_

_She stared at him. "I should hope so. I've known you since I was five, and we've spent the last two years hanging out with everyone else almost everyday!"_

_"I'm sorry miss, but you must be confused," Tommy said gently. "Look, I'm Tommy. This is Kat, Rocky, Adam, and Billy."_

_"I know that!" she snapped. "We've been friends for two years!"_

_Billy shook his head. "I'm afraid there must be some mistake. It's always been just the five of us and our other friend, Aisha."_

_"Aisha disappeared a few years ago," Kat said softly, bowing her head. Tommy squeezed her shoulder in sympathy._

_"Aisha didn't disappear!" she retorted. "She went to Africa, and I came here! The Zeo Crystal changed time, remember? I've been a Ranger since Trini left!"_

_Instantly all five were on guard, their eyes wary. "Zeo Crystal?" Rocky sounded bewildered, but she knew him enough to know it was faked. "What's a Zeo Crystal?"_

_As she stared at him, it abruptly occurred to her that Billy was wearing yellow. It was as though she'd never even been there. As though the Zeo Crystal's magic had never altered her life. As though she'd never been their friend ..._

_"That's right."_

_She spun to find Aisha smirking at her. "Did you actually think you were good enough to take over for me? The Zeo Crystal could only cover for you for so long. The difference was just too great. You're pathetic compared to me."_

_"I am not!" she shouted back. "I'm not pathetic! I'm not you, and I don't want to be! I'm my own person! I __***know***__ I'm not the best Ranger! I never really had years of martial arts training when I came here, or a tight group of friends! I did the best I could with what I was given, and I __***try***__! That's all I can do, and that's all anyone can expect from me!"_

_Aisha shook her head at the impassioned speech. "Nope. Still not good enough."_ -

- _The other girl was advancing, saying such horrible, hateful things. Her temper broke, and she attacked. She was wrong! None of it was true! She'd stop her from saying that, prove her wrong!_ -

The illusion vanished abruptly just as Tanya snap - kicked into Aisha's side, and Aisha spun to aim a vicious right hook to the other girl's jaw. Both were glowing a brilliant yellow. Their eyes met in an instant as horror and understanding dawned, and suddenly they were racked with pain. They crumpled to the ground, crying out as their bodies weakened.

In the background, a hysterical hyena laugh mingled with a throaty, arrogant chuckle. The glow around the two girls faded, leaving them barely conscious. Their eyes were closed, yet both unknowingly had the same thought.

-( _What have I done? _)-

* * *

Carlos glared from the chair he'd been forced into. "How could you do this Justin?" he demanded. "How could you turn on us like this?"

Zeus paused, turning slowly to stare at him. "Who turned on who?" he asked softly. "Who called me weak, abandoned me and left me alone? Who wanted me gone all along?"

In an instant he was beside the chair, one hand gripping Carlos' hair tightly. "Who called me pathetic and stupid, said good riddance as they left me behind?" he hissed, slamming the other boy's head back against the metal chair.

Stars exploded in Carlos' vision as pain flared in his head. "W ... what?" he gasped. "What are you talking about?"

Zeus ignored him, pressing a series of buttons instead.

- _He swung his weapon wide, knocking his opponent to their knees. His companions were already gone; this one would be the last. He smiled as he struck hard, watching the body collapse soundlessly. He reveled in his victory for a moment before at last teleporting back to his station._

_Divatox smiled brilliantly at him as he appeared. "I always knew you'd make a perfect minion of evil."_

_He knelt, bowing his head. "You are wise, Mistress."_

_"At last, the Power Rangers are dead!" she laughed._

_He smiled proudly to himself. He had pleased his mistress. Perhaps he would be rewarded for this victory._ -

Carlos struggled for breath as his vision cleared. "N-no!" he stammered. "I'm not ... I'm not evil!"

Zeus chuckled. "Funny. I always thought you'd make a great minion myself. Doesn't take a lot, you know. Maybe if I get bored with Goldie, I'll come looking for you."

"***No***!"

* * *

Adam glared as Rita looked him up and down, struggling against the Quantrons. "What do you want from me?"

Rita scowled back at him. "What I really wanted was Tommy, but none of the rest of you Earth brats are White. So I'm stuck hoping your stupid Zeo/Turbo energy will power up my Emerald."

"Lucky for you your Emerald isn't Morphin energy," another woman commented as she came up beside them. She glanced at Rita. "This will be easier if you expose your mark."

"You just wanna see me naked," Rita retorted, even as she lifted her staff. There was a sparkle of magic, and the neck of her gown was suddenly low-cut, exposing a green triangle tattooed just below her collarbone.

Adam barely had time to register the idea that Rita had a tattoo before his vision clouded.

- _He was caged, helpless as the Rangers battled for their lives. They were trying to save him. They'd given up their Turbo morphers to Divatox and summoned the old Zeonizers. Even Justin had somehow taken on Rocky's Blue. But something was wrong; the Zeo Rangers weren't as strong as they should have been. The Piranhatrons and the Monster of the Week were winning._

_He shook the cage hard. "Let me out of here!" he shouted._

_It was a mistake. _

_Blue Ranger looked his way. "Hang on Adam, I'm coming!"_

_"Justin look out!"_

_But the young Ranger never saw the blow coming. The monster was on him in a flash, ripping and tearing. Somehow it had managed to get through the uniform, and bloody blue fabric fluttered around them. Justin was screaming._

_"Justin!"_

_"No!"_

_"Justin, hold on!"_

_The others were trying, fighting to get to him. Adam thrashed against the bars of his cage, desperate to escape. He had to help. He had to get free!_

_The screaming stopped._

_The monster pulled back, mouth dripping blood as it laughed. Justin lay in a crimson heap on the ground, unmoving. _

_"Justin!" he shouted. "No! Please! Justin!"_ -

"Violent dreams for a Power Puke," Rita commented as he gasped for breath.

The woman beside her laughed heartily. "You have no idea just how violent their dreams can be."

- _"Rocky?" he asked hesitantly. He couldn't believe Aisha and Tanya had finally talked him into this. What was he thinking?_

_Rocky turned, flashing a big grin. "Hey, Adam. What's up?"_

_Oh, yeah. That's what he was thinking about._

_He shook himself out of his Rocky-Induced Stupor. "I um, wanted to tell you something."_

_"What?"_

_He fidgeted, then at last blurted out "I love you!"_

_Silence._

_He dared a glance upward. _

_Rocky looked disgusted. He shook his head once, then turned and walked away._

_Adam stared. "Rocky?"_

_What had he done? Rocky was his best friend! Even if he didn't feel the same way, he'd still wanted to be friends! What would he do without him? Who would be his other half now?_ -

The haze cleared from Adam's mind just enough to register the green aura around him that was steadily being redirected toward Rita. His thoughts whirled. He was in love with Rocky? No ... That was impossible. They were best friends. Besides, he was straight. He didn't love Rocky that way. Right ... ?

Distantly, he could hear her say "His greatest fear is losing his boytoy? How pathetic."

He gave into weakness and passed out.


	11. Waiting

Chapter 11:Waiting

In the cell, Tommy had yet to stop his agitated pacing. At last Kat looked up from her place beside Billy, Zack, and Trini in annoyance. "Tommy, please sit down. You're driving me crazy."

Tommy ran a hand over his ponytail. "Sorry Kat," he muttered. "I just ... I can't sit still."

"You mean you never could," Zack pointed out.

Kat's expression softened a little. "Too used to something to do these days?"

He hesitated. "Not ... exactly," he hedged.

Trini looked at him in concern. "What do you mean?"

He sighed, at last moving to sit down with them. "I haven't been able to calm down or relax since June. I just keep getting this weird feeling that-"

"You need to be somewhere else," Zack interrupted. "That something's calling you."

"That someone needs you," Trini murmured.

"That this isn't where you're supposed to be," Kat added softly.

Tommy stared at them. "You mean you guys feel it too?"

"It's Zordon."

They turned to Billy in surprise. "What do you mean, Zordon?" Trini asked.

He sighed, looking troubled. "Rangers chosen by Zordon are called Zordon's Children. They are considered to be high in the ranks of Ranger Hierarchy because they are Bonded to Zordon. Because Zordon is in danger, we all feel the need to help him."

"Zordon's in danger?" Tommy demanded, leaning forward.

"What happened?" Kat asked anxiously.

"What can we do?" Zack wanted to know.

Billy shook his head. "All anyone knows at this point in time is that Zordon was kidnapped by the Alliance of Evil. I have tried to find him for some time now without success."

"How do you know all this?" Trini wanted to know.

He smiled faintly. "It's a long story. You see, while the Zeo Rangers were in service, it was discovered that I contracted a disease due to the period when Master Vile turned back time."

Instantly, she breathed a sigh of relief. "So we didn't imagine it."

Zack flashed her a grin. "Nah. I found out from Kat that it really did happen."

"You mean you guys knew time had reversed, too?" Tommy asked in surprise.

Trini nodded. "We tried to find out what had happened, but no one else seemed to have noticed."

"You knew because of your connections to the Power," Billy informed her. "Even though you were no longer Rangers, it allowed you to still sense the shifting of time. It was during this period that I was reverted to my true age, which created a problem when time returned to normal. The Aquitian Rangers who helped us during the shift offered a cure in the form of the Eternal Falls of Aquitar, and brought me to their planet. After they cured me, I decided to stay and explore the options opened to me on a APG planet. The Aquitian Rangers have been extremely kind in helping me to understand concepts Zordon never had the chance to explain to us."

Whatever Tommy had been about to say was caught off by the arrival of Jason and Andros as they were deposited by Quantrons. Instantly he and Zack were beside their former leader, Trini, Kat, Billy, and Rocky hovering around them. Ashley and Zhane hurried to inspect Andros while Cassie looked on worriedly.

"Jase," Tommy called softly. "Come on, Bro. Wake up."

Jason never so much as stirred.

"Andros!"

The group glanced over to find Andros' eyes open as he stared up at the ceiling. Ashley gasped softly at his dead, glassy-eyed expression. "Andros?" she whispered, kneeling and taking his hand.

He turned slowly to look at her. Everyone stared in horror at the blank, broken look on his face.

"Andros, talk to me," Zhane pleaded. "You're scaring me. That's my job."

Andros' gaze shifted to him. He stared for a long moment, then suddenly broke away from Ashley as he sat up. He threw his arms around Zhane, clutching the other tightly. Zhane looked stunned, arms coming up slowly to embrace his friend. "It ... it's okay, Andros," he said at last, squeezing him gently. "It's okay. I've got you."

Ashley looked away, fighting tears.

The older group looked at one another worriedly, their gazes drifting back down to the still unconscious Jason.

* * *

They'd been there for quite awhile when something unexpected happened. The air in front of their cell shimmered, revealing none other than the Phantom Ranger. Cassie's face lit up as she ran to greet him. "Phantom! You're here!"

The armored Ranger raised a hand to quiet her and began to open the door. He froze as Cassie faded and reappeared in front of him, a blade at her neck in an instant. Her eyes widened in fear as it pressed against her skin. "Remove your helmet, Phantom Ranger," Zeus informed him. "Or she dies right now."

Phantom stared at him, fists clenched. The knife pressed against Cassie again, and she held back a cry of pain. "All right!" he growled. "Just let her go." He reached up slowly and undid his helmet, lowering it to glare at Zeus, who blinked, then started to giggle.

Cassie stared as she saw the Phantom Ranger's face for the first time. "You're a girl?"

Phantom said nothing. She was very pretty, with pale skin and dark red hair and eyes, her hair pulled into a bun. The only thing marring her beauty was the scar on left cheek. Her expression was like stone, as though Cassie's words didn't even register.

"The mighty Phantom Ranger is ... is a girl!" Zeus chortled. He forced himself to calm, jerking his head at the cell as a few more giggles escaped. "Get in."

Phantom did as she was told, never saying a word. Her morph disappeared once she was inside, leaving her in a cropped sleeveless dark red turtleneck and black pants with black boots, another scar stretching along her abdomen. She caught Cassie when she was thrown back in as Zeus walked away, still laughing to himself. With a soft murmur of apology, she tore a strip from Cassie's shirt, using it to carefully wrap the wound on her neck. She nodded to her, then retreated to the corner opposite of Rocky. Cassie stared after her.

Abruptly a feeling of warmth and love swept through everyone. It was so powerful Tommy closed his eyes, a smile drifting across his face. He ***knew*** this feeling, knew the distinct energy signature of the person who'd sent it. "Kimberly ... " he sighed.

The feeling vanished with an almost audible snap, leaving them all suddenly empty.

Kat shivered, rubbing her arms. "Kim?" she asked aloud.

"Why would she just ... stop ... like that?" Zack wondered, trying not to cringe at the sudden coldness in his heart contrasting the powerful wave that had filled him only moments before.

No one answered him.

* * *

Zeus returned again at last, only to throw someone back into the cell. Trini's eyes widened, and she and Tommy ran to her. "Kimberly!"

"What did you do to her?" Tommy growled.

Zeus just smiled and had Quantrons shove T.J. in as well. "Now you all have someone else to worry over," he sneered, and walked away into the darkness.

Tommy cradled Kimberly in his arms, his heart clenching. He'd been hurt and angry at her before. But the sight of her bruised and battered body suddenly made everything he'd ever thought in anger vanish as if they'd never been apart. "Come on, Beautiful," he whispered, tears in his eyes. "Please wake up."

She stirred slightly. "Tommy?" she murmured.

"Yeah, Kim. It's me," he told her.

Her eyes flickered open, meeting his. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears welling up.

"Shh. Just rest. We'll work it out. Just get better." He couldn't resist the urge to kiss her forehead.

She smiled weakly as a tear slipped down her cheek. "Tommy ... " she sighed. Her eyes drifted closed again.

"T.J.?" Cassie asked gently, taking her friend's arm. "Teej?"

He looked at her, seeming lost. "Why would Justin do that to me?" he asked quietly. "I thought we were friends. Why would he make me see those things?"

She hugged him, biting back a wince. "I don't know."

Everyone looked up at a small grating noise. To their surprise, a hole opened up in the ceiling, and a Ranger they'd never seen before dropped down. He wore black with a gold star on his chest, with red gloves and boots lined in yellow. His belt was red, with a gold morpher on the front, and a red gun holster on his right hip. His helmet's face plate formed a sort of raccoon-like mask, and his neck cover was red.

He froze as someone applauded. He turned to see Zeus leaning against a wall with a smirk, barely visible in the shadows. "Well done, Black Star Ranger. I almost didn't detect you." The smirk vanished. "I suggest your teammate drop in before I'm forced to kill you."

There was a muffled noise in a foreign language, and another Ranger came through. This one was shorter, most definitely female, and wore a purple version of the same uniform. She folded her arms, obviously glaring at Zeus through her helmet.

Zeus seemed pleased. "Into the cell if you value your Soul Bonded."

The Purple Ranger seemed to want to disobey, but was stopped by a look from the Black Ranger. She muttered something under her breath, and the pair walked through the cell door. Their morphs faded the moment they were inside. The Black Ranger was a dark-skinned boy with silver hair pulled into a low ponytail that reached his mid-back and silver eyes, dressed in something that seemed to come straight out of Aladdin; a black vest, loose black pants, black wrist braces, and black slipper-like shoes. The Purple Ranger was dark-skinned as well, though lighter than her companion, and had curly blond hair to her waist, framing violet eyes. Her outfit was a complete contrast to his, with more of a 1970's disco style. Her lavender tank-topped bodysuit was cut low, coming to a point over her bellybutton and revealing a large amount of cleavage. A white belt was settled around her hips, matching her white stiletto-heeled boots.

Zeus smiled. "And as a reward for your good behavior ... " With a wave of his hand, Quantrons deposited Aisha and Tanya inside. He laughed merrily as he left.

Kat knelt between the two girls, checking each of them over. To her surprise, the Black Ranger joined her, seeming concerned. He frowned as he took in their injuries. "I suspect the worst wounds won't be physical," he murmured.

She looked at him, startled. "What do you mean?"

His answer was cut off as Aisha began to awaken, blinking slowly. Realization came in an instant, and she scrambled back. "No," she whispered. "Oh, no. No, no, no."

"Aisha?" Kat asked worriedly. "Aisha, what's wrong?"

"Oh, god," Aisha moaned in answer, burying her head in her hands.

"Aisha?" The soft whisper was the first thing Rocky had said in hours. He walked over hesitantly, crouching down beside her at last. After a moment, he put an arm around her.

Aisha just shook her head, rocking back and forth. "No," she whimpered again.

Kat looked down as the other girl stirred. "Tanya?"

Tanya remained where she was, staring up at the ceiling. After a moment, she rolled over onto her side, curling up.

"Tanya - " Kat tried again.

"Leave me alone," she muttered woodenly.

Kat looked up at Tommy helplessly. What was happening to their friends?

Tommy looked worried, glancing at Kimberly again. All he could do was shake his head to Kat's silent question. And that scared him more than anything.

* * *

Adam, like the others, returned in an unconscious heap. Carlos came back at the same time, his entire body shaking as the Quantrons shoved him inside. He flinched when Ashley approached.

"Carlos?" she asked, concerned. "What happened?"

He shook his head. "I'm not. I'm not ... I'm not like them. It's just coincidence. Isn't it?" His eyes pleaded with her to agree.

Ashley did the only thing she could. "Of course it is," she assured him, squeezing his hand.

He wasn't entirely reassured, but the shaking did seem to calm.

Rocky had bolted to Adam's side the moment he saw him, dropping to his knees at his side. "Adam!" he cried anxiously. Kat and Trini knelt beside him as they checked his vital signs. Kat paused only to give his shoulder a quick squeeze before returning to checking over their friend.

There was a soft chuckle near the door. "I can't believe no one noticed it."

Rocky paused, looking up at Zeus. "Justin ... ?" he asked cautiously.

"Told you not to call me that," came the idle reply. Zeus shook his head with a smile. "You guys must be blind, or really stupid."

"What is that meant to suggest?" Billy demanded.

Zeus looked amused. "It means you're an idiot. I mean seriously; Rocky is so obviously in love with Adam and none of you noticed!"

Rocky went white.

There was a long moment of silence.

" ... What?" Tommy asked at last.

Zack looked puzzled. "Rocky's gay?"

Rocky stood, backing away from them all slowly. The look he shot Zeus was full of pain and betrayal. "I ... "

Zeus grinned back. "Whoops."

"Rocky?"

He froze, turning to look at Aisha. She was watching him, frowning. Her frown deepened as he continued to stare at her.

A soft moan snapped his attention back to Adam. He crept closer to him, just enough to peer down at him without being close to Kat or Trini. Kat eyed him, but he refused to look at her.

"Lie still, Adam," Trini soothed, her attention completely focused on him once again.

"Rocky," he mumbled. "I gotta ... talk to Rocky."

"I'm right here, Adam," Rocky's voice was gentle, and now that they were paying attention, everyone could tell the subtle difference in his tone.

Adam's eyes flickered open, staring straight at him. "You ... you're ... ?"

he pain in Rocky's eyes was back now, and he looked away from him. "Yeah," he whispered.

"How cute," Zeus commented. He smiled when everyone still conscious jumped at the sound of his voice. "Next?"

Tommy and Zack disappeared without warning. Kat and Trini were next, followed by Rocky and Zhane. Cassie and Ashley followed, and the two new Rangers with them.

Zeus smiled with twisted cheerfulness that sent chills down the remaining Rangers' spines. "They'll be back soon!" He walked off, whistling.


	12. Agony

Chapter 12:Agony

Tommy looked around the room warily, guard up as he waited in a defensive stance.

"Just like a man," a woman's voice sneered. "Always ready to resort to violence."

"Who are you?" he demanded.

She stepped into the light, revealing herself. She was the same height as he was, brunette hair bound in a high ponytail. The outfit was strange; white bikini, white cape with large golden shoulder pads to hold it in place, and white boots. It was the accessories that bothered him however. The blue headband, white sash-like belt flecked with red, green and black broach, amethyst ring, blue stone necklace, yellow barrettes, and pink earrings. Something about them gave off a bad vibe.

She looked him up and down with an expression that clearly said she wasn't impressed. "Why couldn't that beautiful little brunette have been White?" she demanded irritably. "Why did it have to be you?"

"Doesn't matter," came another voice.

He turned to look at Zeus in surprise. "Justin - " he tried.

He was rewarded with a powerful kick to the ribs. He stumbled back, staring at him in shock. "Justin, what are you - "

"Shut up!" Zeus snarled, continuing to advance on him. "Bastard! How dare you even ***pretend*** to - " He broke off to deliver another hard blow.

Tommy said nothing as he moved swiftly to block, too confused to answer.

- _"I want those useless Power Punks destroyed!"_

_"Yes, Empress," He looked up at Rita Repulsa, his honored leader. He would serve her until the day she allowed him to die in battle, a warrior's death. That was all he wanted in life -_ -

Tommy gasped as the vision cut short. He barely managed to avoid getting his arm broken as well. Whatever was on Justin's mind, he was serious about it now.

"Boring," the woman dismissed.

- _"I shall destroy all the Power Rangers! For your evil deeds against my Machine Empire, you will pay - "_ -

"Not good enough," she snapped.

Tommy stumbled back from another blow. "What do you want from me?" he panted. Justin was a lot stronger and faster now as Zeus, and the visions racing through his mind weren't helping his defense any.

"To see you suffer," Zeus snarled back.

- _What did he do? Wasn't he good enough? Didn't he treat her like she was special? Because she was, she was the most beautiful, amazing girl in the world. He'd done everything he could to tell her how much he loved her. _

_Was it because he was still a Ranger, and the world came first? All she had to do was ask, and he would resign. Just to be with her again. No one else mattered as much as she did - except Jason, of course. _

_Was that it? Because Jason was his brother? Did she want him to chose? Please don't make me chose between you -_ -

"Still not good enough," the woman growled.

He clutched at his head, feeling like it was going to explode at any moment.

The distraction left him flat on his back as Zeus tripped him, then moved to pin him to the floor. "Justin ... " he wheezed, wincing at the intense pain ringing through his mind. "I don't understand - why ... ?"

"Because you killed my mother," he hissed in response.

- _He should have known better. He should have watched him better. First Jason and Kimberly, the people he loved so much, and now Justin. Why didn't he stay in touch? Why didn't he talk to him, make sure he was okay?_

_This was all his fault. As the leader who trained him, Justin was his responsibility. He should have talked to him more, offered to listen more, __***done***__ more. He was supposed to protect the innocent, darn it! Why couldn't he protect the most innocent of all?_ -

Tommy screamed in agony as his head throbbed painfully. White light seared through his mind, blazing heat washing through him. He couldn't take this! He couldn't hold it in, couldn't hold back. Get it out get it away get it away from me!

Somehow his mind found the strength to push the white light away, forcing it as far from him as possible. He collapsed instantly as his legs gave out from under him. Blurry eyes found a blindingly white figure in front of him, but somehow he couldn't find the strength to care. He just wanted to sleep until the pain went away ...

"Murderer," a voice whispered furiously. "When your brain stops glowing, try remembering the name Melissa Stewart, and what you did to her, you bastard!"

Pain flared again in his skull, and at last blackness washed away the white.

* * *

Zack surveyed the room he was dragged into. "It's little dark, even for me. How 'bout opening up a few windows?" he quipped.

"You won't be laughing for long, worthless Power Punk," a familiar voice snarled from a corner.

He groaned. "Aw, man. I'm ***Goldie's*** victim? How pathetic can you get?"

There was a dry chuckle from the opposite side of the room, and a woman in a white bikini stepped forward. "Amusing, isn't he?" She smiled sweetly in a way that made Zack's insides twist.

- _"So I say, man, get a load of that monster! Have you ever seen a sundae that big? But she wanted a big sundae, so she dug right on in. And ninety percent of the thing ended up on her face! We had to get a towel just to wash her off!"_

_No one laughed._

_His smile faltered. "What?"_

_Jason shrugged. "It wasn't funny."_

_He stared. "What do you mean it wasn't funny? It's hilarious; I've got pictures."_

_"You're losing your touch, Zack," Trini informed him._

_"Actually, he lost it a __***long***__ time ago," Kimberly put in._

_"Affirmative," Billy agreed._

_He wasn't funny anymore? But ... what was the Zack - man without his jokes and wacky sense of humor? What was he now? If people didn't laugh, didn't smile because he could make them, what was he?_ -

His world snapped back into focus, leaving him gasping for breath. "What ... the heck ... was ***that***?" he demanded

"Strange fear," the woman commented. "Let's see what else is in your head, shall we?"

- _Silence. _

_Absolute silence. _

_Frantically, he tried to listen, to hear the Rhythm that life produced. The Rhythm he'd danced to since the day he was born, the Rhythm that made him whole. He couldn't hear it. Where was it? It couldn't have just stopped! The Rhythm of Life did not just __***stop***__! Why wasn't it there? He __***knew***__ it was, it always was, it had to be! So why didn't he hear it? _

_He'd lost it? He'd lost the ability to hear the Rhythm? That wasn't possible! The Rhythm was a part of him, a part of everyone and everything! He'd never not been able to hear it! It had to be there! It __***had***__ to be!_

_The silence, blasted silence make it stop make it stop make it stop "Make it stop!"_ -

He was weakening, but he didn't even realize it. He was to busy straining, struggling to hear the Rhythm. He clutched his head in agony, screaming "Make it stop!"

And suddenly it did. The air began to hum around him again, pulsing with life and energy. Water tapped out a beat somewhere, most likely due to a leaky faucet. Heavy breathing nearby, and the drumming of his own heartbeat. He sagged with relief and exhaustion. It was there. He hadn't lost the ability to hear the Rhythm.

A woman's laughter as her feet clicked noisily off into the distance. Hands grabbing at him, rustling fabric. And the deep, throaty voice of his enemy suddenly whispering directly behind him, tinged with sadness.

"Never lose the Rhythm, Black Ranger. Never stop listening to the Music of Life."

* * *

"Silver Ranger," a voice drawled.

"That's me," Zhane quipped, looking up to meet his captor's face. "Silver Astro Ranger, to be specific."

He refused to show any signs of nervousness or fear. He didn't know anything about this 'Zeus', let alone Justin, who he'd never met. He didn't know what to expect. A few moments of being laughed at just before blasting his way to Lord Billy and out of the Dark Fortress weren't exactly enough for any serious information.

He did know that Lord Billy had been mind raped, which meant there was no telling what Zeus was capable of.

Zeus smirked. "Cute. You are fascinating, Silver Ranger. Excuse me, Silver ***Astro*** Ranger," he mocked.

"How's that?" Zhane returned, refusing to rise to the barb.

"Turns out that no one really knows that much about you," Zeus informed him. "Silver Astro Ranger, Zhane of KO-35. Sacrificed himself for Red Astro Ranger during the invasion of their home planet, disappeared for two years, then miraculously reappeared."

Zhane shrugged impassively. "Sounds about right."

"At least, that's what I thought at first."

He glanced at Zeus as the teen circled his chair. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I started looking into things. So you're the second Silver Ranger of KO-35." He smiled, shaking his head. "You took the morpher from the first Silver Ranger, and left him to die in the invasion, helpless."

Zhane stiffened, his relaxed expression darkening instantly. "That's a lie," he hissed. "I was ***given*** this morpher."

"Were you really? From what I was told, the Kerovian Rangers were a unit of twins, forming a Bonded group. Then all of a sudden, there's one lone little Silver Ranger. Doesn't sound like you were ***picked*** to me. Sounds like you got greedy and stole it for yourself."

Zhane's eyes narrowed. "Don't compare me to you. I'm a Ranger of Light. You won't convert me to the Darkness."

"I don't have to. You've already tainted that morpher with your own darkness. It's practically begging for a chance to serve our purpose."

"Silver Rangers are Light itself! This morpher will never serve you while I carry it!" Zhane shouted at him.

"And who said you'd carry it?"

A figure emerged from the shadows. The man was tall, with short hair streaked in different shades of red. He wore the same Megaship uniform as Zhane, complete with silver undershirt. His brown eyes gazed at Zhane in accusation and betrayal.

Zhane stared, wide-eyed. "Uncle?"

"I never should have let you take the Digimorpher."

The Silver Ranger flinched. Paux had always been a warm, laughing person, his eyes kind and friendly. Now he radiated coldness and disappointment, his voice a flat baritone. "I - I don't understand."

"I barely made it out alive when Dark Spectre attacked us. I was the only one who made it. And when I look back, what do I see? My morpher being used by a laughing child who's more interested in fighting than protecting the people."

"I was doing my part," Zhane protested weakly. "Andros and I were holding off the warriors while the others moved the people."

"***Andros*** wasn't taunting his enemies, eager to destroy them," Paux snapped. "You were reckless and childish. You don't deserve the Digimorpher."

Zhane cringed. "But I ... Uncle ... "

Paux held out his hand. "Give it to me," he commanded.

He hesitated, looking down at the morpher and back to Paux. Part of him wanted to refuse. This morpher had chosen ***him***, not the other way around. In all honesty, he'd wanted Red - to lead - or Yellow, like his father, if he'd been able to chose for himself. But the Digimorpher had shone for him, and that was that.

"Now, Zhane!"

Bowing his head and holding back his tears, Zhane obeyed his uncle. He unstrapped the Digimorpher from his wrist, biting his lip at the abrupt feeling of loss as its light grew distant. He held it out silently, refusing to look up and see the contempt in his beloved uncle's eyes.

Familiar laughter made him freeze.

"Didn't I tell you it would work?" Astronema announced haughtily. "And it's so much more fun this way than with your little memory machine."

"You were right," Zeus agreed begrudgingly. "He gave it up to you of his own free will. Even Zordon couldn't argue against that."

Zhane's head came up as horror and disbelief flooded through him. Goddess be merciful. What had he done?

Zeus looked down at him and smirked as Astronema admired the new morpher she wore. "That's right, Zhane. You just gave your morpher to the Dark Rangers. What was that again about 'this morpher will never serve you while I carry it'?"

Distantly, Zhane realized he was about to throw up.

* * *

Litania of Gannos was fighting rather well for someone who'd just had her ribs bruised and a knee nearly shattered. Her moves weren't as flashy as they would have normally been, but she still managed to steal a staff from one of the Quantrons. Not her favorite weapon, but it served as an extra leg when she was quick enough.

It was funny, really. She didn't even know the boy's name. She was fairly sure he was from Earth; he seemed awkward enough. Definitely human. She could have any man she wanted. And yet here she was, fighting for her life because of a backwater boy who probably hadn't even heard of her planet, let alone her name.

She smiled as she sent another pair of Quantrons flying. She never was one for conventionalism. Maybe this 'Soul Bond' everyone had told her so much about would be more exciting than it seemed. How much fun could she have with an innocent Earthian?

* * *

Cassie and Zeus stared at one another silently. Neither had moved since she'd been brought here and their eyes had met. She wasn't sure what Zeus was about to do, but after what she'd seen so far, she wasn't foolish enough to think he wouldn't do anything at all.

"You hid a lot from us, didn't you Cassie?"

She blinked, then looked at him warily. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Zeus' expression remained unreadable. "You never told us about what you are or what you can do. Why you ran away from home. What makes you so drawn to the Phantom Ranger. Probably me, now."

She refused to show her fear. There was no way he could have figured it out. She'd buried it so deep even Dimitria had never noticed.

"Meet Demoness," Zeus said suddenly, gesturing casually to the woman that entered the room.

She reminded Cassie of a gargoyle, but standing upright as a human would. And she'd never seen a gargoyle with white skin and a most definitely feminine figure. Her long mint green hair, cold green eyes, and pink dress made it safe to assume this was the Dark Pink Ranger. She couldn't help but wonder as Zhane had what could turn a Pink Ranger to darkness. What had this woman done to Kimberly?

"How would you like to know what your friends are feeling right now?"

Cassie blinked, her thoughts abruptly derailed. "Huh?"

_Fear Guilt Horror Panic Fear Worry Terror Guilt Loss Loneliness Need Emptiness Grief Worry Fear Protectiveness Longing Desire Helplessness Heartache Hate Fear_

She fell to her knees, clawing at her chest. It hurt it hurt it hurt so bad! She was screaming she was screaming for help but no one would come why couldn't they hear her why won't they help? Why is this happening why are they doing this leave me alone leave me ***alone***! Someone else is screaming someone else's pain her pain their pain ***everyone's*** pain it hurts it hurts it ***hurts***!

Her screams became wordless as pink light flooded her vision, erupting into a powerful aura around her. The pain became even more physical as the light began to fade away again, leaving her drained and exhausted. Somewhere in the agony were distant feelings of _Empowerment Joy Caution Pain Emptiness Indifference Fear Hurt Loneliness._

Heart and mind burned raw and aching, she embraced the darkness that came with the fading of the light.


	13. Helpless Allies

**Author's Notes/:** -Bursting into giggles- I just saw a trailer for Power Rangers: Jungle Fury, and my immediate thought is - 'Kittie Rangers!' -Wrinkles nose- And their uniforms are weird. It took me a bit to realize it's because there's no belts; it makes it look like they're wearing gymnastics unitards or something. I'm still curious to see it, though. -Crosses fingers-

Forgotten Credit Corrections: Megazord Master was the wonderful person who suggested Jason's fear of turning evil. Also upon further ponderings, I realized Adam's fear of being helpless to aid his friends was given to me by Weesta.

Chapter 13:Helpless Allies

Kimberly gasped, paling as she caught sight of the body the Quantrons were dragging down the hall towards them. "Oh, no ... " she breathed.

She ran forward to catch him as they literally threw him through the door, just managing to stop him from hitting the floor. She winced as her own injuries screamed in protest, moving to set him gently on the ground. Tears slipped silently down her cheeks as she looked down at Tommy.

"What ... w-what happened to him ... ?" T.J.'s voice shook as he took in the sight.

Blood was everywhere, soaking through his clothes and matting his hair. His right eye was swollen and bruised; even if he'd been conscious, there was no way he'd have been able to open it. Both of his legs had been broken, the left twisted an odd angle from the knee while part of the shin bone was sticking out of his right leg. His breath came in short, wheezing noises. There were definitely internal injuries, as well.

Aisha dropped to her knees, helping Kimberly lay him out on the ground. She looked around swiftly, then paused. "There's nothing we can do for him," she said softly, her voice almost to low to be heard.

Jason moved closer, putting a hand on her shoulder with a frown. "What do you mean?"

She shook her head, looking up with a helpless expression. "I can't ... We don't have any medical supplies. We don't even have clean water. If I try to do anything for him right now, I'd just make it worse. There's nothing we can do for him."

Jason stared, swaying slightly. Andros automatically put a hand on his shoulder to hold him up.

Kimberly removed her jacket in silence. Thankfully she'd left The Center in such a hurry she'd only been able to throw on a pair of light sweats over her leotard. Folding it carefully, she slipped the coat under Tommy's neck. Then she bowed her head, squeezing his hand gently, and prayed for all she was worth for him to be okay.

* * *

It had only been a few minutes after Zeus left when one of the walls of the corridor exploded. As the imprisoned Rangers coughed and waved away the smoke, they heard someone sneeze delicately. A Ranger appeared through the haze with a sniff. "Next time Yasta ask Luri ***show*** use Ball Bomb, not tell."

Judging by her voice she was young, younger than their other rescuers. Her uniform was mostly white, a two piece with an overlaid theme of yellow 'v' shapes. Oddly enough, yellow cat ears perched on top of the helmet with a multi-colored star centered between them.

"Impressive. So that's what a Kishnal Ranger's capable of," Zeus said approvingly, reappearing from behind a wall. His eyes narrowed. "But now you're going to come with me if you want your Lifemate to stay in one piece."

She looked at him, her voice filled with innocence. "Enemy not take Power Crystal?"

He humphed. "Who do you think I am, Goldar? I'm not going to fall for that. Now come with me."

She nodded and allowed the Quantrons to grab her. She looked into the cell, searching until she sighted the Astro Rangers. "Lifemate not worry," she told them cheerfully. "Yasta keep safe!" They took her away, leaving everyone staring.

* * *

"The kitten's being taken care of," Astronema announced as entered the control room.

Zeus didn't answer, watching the security camera recording in amusement. She came to lean over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "Not very bright, is she?" she drawled.

The girl they were observing hadn't even bothered to morph. She wandered down the halls of the ship, glancing around occasionally for any approaching enemies. Delicate, harmless, and seemingly naive, she would have been an easy target if the computer hadn't already identified her as the White Taeo Ranger, one of the strongest Rangers in several galaxies. -( _This is one to watch out for_, )- Zeus mused to himself.

"She knows she's going to be caught, so she's not wasting the energy," he informed Astronema. "She's not trying to rescue them the way the others were. She just wants to join the one she's looking for."

Her eyes narrowed. "A strong opponent, then."

He hmmed. "It'd be a shame to disappoint her, wouldn't it?"

Astronema grinned.

* * *

Nearly everyone was finally awake a few hours later. Jason and T.J. were pacing, just as Tommy had done. Andros stood silent, his eyes dark and haunted, though he refused to tell his teammates what was wrong. Adam was leaning against one of the walls, staring longingly at the hallway. Aisha was keeping a careful eye on him as she stayed by Kimberly in her silent vigil over Tommy. Tanya hadn't moved from where she'd been placed, and Billy had taken over watching her. Carlos sat against a wall of his own, his eyes vacant. Phantom Ranger remained alone in her corner.

Zeus returned at last with a group of Quantrons, two of them dragging the demorphed Purple Ranger, while the rest had their weapons trained on Zhane and another girl that no one had seen before.

The Quantrons dumped the Purple Ranger unceremoniously into the cell. She shouted something after them that made one of them shoot her in the foot. Her response was a foreign word that was obviously a curse as she limped to sit down. T.J. came to help her, unsure of why he was doing so. She flashed him a grin that made his stomach flutter.

Zeus grinned as he shoved Zhane through the cell door, holding it open for a new girl as she walked through calmly. "Now I have the complete set," he announced triumphantly.

The girl stared at him, her gaze serious, but never angry. "You will not win. There are far too many to fight you."

He laughed, nearly giggling. "Like who? Zordon and Dimitria are long gone, same as Alpha 5. Alpha 6 and that stupid computer won't be working anytime soon. Almost all of the old Earth Rangers are drained, and there's only three left. Once their Power is tapped, the Dark Rangers will be at full strength." He flashed her a grin. "You shouldn't make empty threats just to make yourself feel better, you know." The giggles continued as he walked away.

"Zhane?" T.J. asked, looking at his teammate worriedly.

The Silver Ranger looked dead. His normally bright, laughing eyes were dull as he glanced up at last. "I just completed the prophecy," he informed them all.

Everyone froze.

"How?" Billy asked quietly.

"I thought it was Uncle," Zhane stared off into the distance. "He ... he wanted the Digimorpher back. I gave it to him." He closed his eyes, tears sparkling in the lashes. "It was Astronema."

Andros looked at him at last, fear creeping across his face. "K - Astronema has the Digimorpher?"

Zhane nodded, his head tilting back to stare at the ceiling. He chuckled bitterly. "I just made the Dark Silver Ranger."

"It's not your fault, Zhane," Aisha spoke up. "Somehow ... they know how to get into your mind, to bring your fears to life." She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself. "They can make you believe anything."

Zhane said nothing, continuing to stare upwards.

The girl Zeus had brought turned with a quiet sigh and came face-to-face with Jason. Their eyes met. "Who are you?" he demanded after a moment, feeling slightly unnerved by the strange shine in her gaze.

She bowed her head. She was short, with chin-length white hair and almost unnaturally bright blue eyes. "Pahla of Icindra, White Taeo Ranger of the Orin Galaxy." She wore a white Chinese style dress with slits up either side to her hips, trimmed in silver, with silver elbow-length gloves and knee-high boots. A gold coin with a faint red sheen to it hung on a cord around her neck. She looked up, her eyes catching his again. "It is honor to meet you at last, Jason of Earth, Red Dino Ranger."

"How did you know that?" he asked.

She smiled faintly. "I am psychically attuned. I could sense the Red Power within you. It is drained, but it is still a part of you." She hesitated, then continued "To be truthful, I have known of you since the day this coin appeared to me four years ago." She lifted the cord off her neck and offered it to him.

He stared at the coin in shock. "My Power Coin? I thought ... I thought I lost this!"

"I researched it and found it to be yours. I do not know why it came to me, only that it no longer holds the Power." She paused and bowed her head. "I return it to you."

He studied her for a minute, then handed her back the coin. "Keep it," he said simply. "It won't do me any good."

She smiled tentatively at him, slipping it back over her head. Something in her expression was almost shy, and Jason could have sworn she was blushing.

"So why are you here?" he asked, forcing himself to focus.

"For the same reasons as the rest of us, I'm guessing," the Purple Ranger said dryly, the first time she'd spoke to anyone since she'd gotten there. She was leaning against a wall as she sat, her right leg stretched out in front of her. Her foot seemed to be facing an awkward angle.

Pahla sighed, turning to look at her. "Purple Gold Star Ranger."

She smirked slightly and saluted.

Pahla's gaze continued to pass over them all, and she smiled when she caught sight of the Phantom Ranger. "An honor to see you as well, Phantom Ranger. I have heard much of your exploits."

Phantom nodded to her. "Likewise," she answered. Her voice was husky, but definitely female and far from the synthesized voice her Ranger uniform projected.

"Enough with the formalities," Purple Ranger interrupted. "What's going on, Pahla? You have to know something. Taeo Rangers are too efficient to walk into this blindly."

She sighed again. "Patience is a virtue you would do well to learn, Purple Gold Star."

She shrugged. "Never cared enough to learn it. So?"

She shook her head slightly. "Zeus, as he calls himself, is punishing the Rangers of Earth."

"What?" T.J. demanded. "Why?"

"Vengeance has twisted his memories, making him believe you are his enemies, and that he must destroy you all," she told him.

"Vengeance?" Aisha repeated.

Pahla was about to answer when the Quantrons returned Cassie and Zack. Everyone's attention immediately diverted to them. Cassie was unconscious, twisting and occasionally whimpering in her sleep. The former Black Ranger was positively jumpy.

"Zack?" Jason spoke up.

He turned and cracked a weak smile. "Guess I'm not as strong as I thought, Jase. Didn't take much for Goldie to get my Power."

"I don't think any of us are as strong as we thought we were," the other boy returned softly.

"Cassie?" T.J. tried to wake his teammate. "Cas, can you hear me?"

She flinched when he touched her shoulder.

"Stop."

Everyone looked up at Kimberly in surprise as she carefully left Tommy and came to kneel beside the younger girl. "Don't touch her," she continued. "You'll only make it worse."

"Make what worse?" T.J. asked.

She looked at him, her eyes sad. "I gave the Dark Pink Ranger my Power, and she used it to hurt Cassie."

"Hurt her how?" he persisted.

Kimberly's gaze lowered back to Cassie. "It's part of what we are, I think. I didn't realize it until then. I just thought something was wrong with me. But she has it, too. So does that French lady. I think they used it to break her shields."

"Shields for what, Kim?" Aisha wanted to know, crouching beside her.

"Shields for her heart."

"Empathy," Pahla spoke up with a sympathetic look. "They're Pink Rangers who have tapped into their empathy. The Dark Ranger must have broken through her shielding to protect herself from rampant emotion. Now she has no shields whatsoever. She's absorbing all of the feelings around her."

Kimberly nodded silently, watching Cassie as she frowned and twitched in her sleep.

* * *

Astronema studied Zeus carefully as she admired the Digimorpher on her wrist. Apparently noticing, he turned to her in annoyance. "What is it?" he snapped.

"I'm wondering what would really have made you choose me to be the Dark Silver Ranger," she answered coolly. "Choosing me out of the blue because I'm the Princess of Evil doesn't seem to be your style."

"It isn't," he told her bluntly. "I picked you because you'll hurt them the most. Red and Silver Astro like you; they won't want to fight against you. When they're suffering, so will the rest of the Astro Rangers." A twisted, bitter smile flickered across his features.

She raised an eyebrow. "So what's your vendetta against the Astro Rangers?" she asked casually, leaning against a wall. It was a dangerous question, and she knew it. Zeus was incredibly touchy about his former identity, and had already blasted Goldar nearly into a coma for asking-judging by all the hostility, there was obviously some sort of issue between the two of them Zeus wasn't talking about.

He looked at her in amusement. "Curious?"

She shrugged indifferently. "Makes no difference to me." She made as if to leave.

"I hate them."

She paused, glancing back at him. His eyes were cold and hard, his face like stone. "Why?"

"They treated me like a joke," he snarled. "Then they abandoned me at the earliest convenient opportunity." He stared at nothing in particular, his eyes glazing slightly even as they still retained the hardness. "Them and the original Turbo Rangers." His eyes narrowed. "I want Tommy Oliver's head on a platter."

Her curiosity was getting the better of her. "What'd he do?"

His head snapped up suddenly, his eyes meeting hers. "He killed my mother," he said coldly.

She paused, trying to keep her hand from going automatically to her locket. "My family was killed by Power Rangers as well," she told him, wondering why even as she did so.

He studied her for a moment, a sad ghost of a smile flickering across his face; a startling contrast to the twisted one he'd worn only a few minutes before. "Looks like we have more in common than we thought."

"Apparently," she agreed calmly, even as part of her thrilled at the idea of a kindred spirit, of sorts. Her more analytical side mentally rubbed its hands together at the thought of a alliance with someone of such power and strength. They made a strange pair, but life in the UAE had taught her not to overlook a potential ally. Never a friend, however. Friends were a liability after all.


	14. Doubts and Betrayals

**Author's Notes/:** **Warning:** This chapter has non-graphic attempted rape.

Chapter 14:Doubts and Betrayals

"You heard your orders," Divatox grumbled. "Don't hurt the boy. Do whatever you like to the girl."

"You promise?" the woman with her asked, looking eager.

She rolled her eyes. "***After*** we do this, okay Tearrah? Then you can play with her to your heart's content."

"Goody!" Tearrah cheered, clapping her hands. "Get them, Piranhatrons!"

It was instinct, Rocky insisted to himself. Kat may hate him now that she knew his secret, but he couldn't just leave her alone against these things. So he had to protect her. Somehow. Even if she didn't want him to.

"Rocky, look out!"

- _Red and Blue. Why did he have to be __***Red***__ and __***Blue***__? There was no way he could be as strong and brave as Jason, or such an awesome leader. That was __***Jason***__. And Blue? Billy was a genius! He wasn't an idiot, but he was nowhere __***near***__ Billy's level of smarts. How was he supposed to compare?_

_Did Zordon do this on purpose? Was he trying to prove to Rocky he wasn't good enough to full anybody's shoes? He didn't want to. He just liked being a Ranger and protecting people. He knew he wasn't Jason and Billy. He didn't want to be. He wasn't that great, after all._ -

- _"We need a plan," Tanya mused._

_Tommy turned to him. "What have you got, Rocky?"_

_He blinked. "Huh?"_

_Now they were all looking at him. "What have you come up with?" Tommy asked again._

_"I ... I, uh ... don't ... know?" he ventured._

_Kat looked horrified. "But if you don't figure it out, who will?"_

_"You're Blue!" Tanya agreed. "Blues have all the answers!"_

_"But I was a Red, too," he tried to protest. "And who said Blue has to know everything? Doesn't anyone else have an idea?"_

_"We're doomed," Tommy moaned as though he hadn't even heard him._

_"Way to go, Rocky," Adam said darkly. "Now we're going to lose."_

_"But I - "_ -

Rocky blinked abruptly, eyes wide. What the heck was that?

"Rocky!" Kat cried over her shoulder as she tried to protect him. "Are you okay? What happened?"

"I ... I don't know," he answered lamely, the shame from the ... whatever it was, coming back.

She glanced over her shoulder worriedly. Rocky looked shaken, whatever had happened. All she knew was that he'd been glowing with a soft red light for a moment. She couldn't let him be hurt - she would never forgive herself.

"Kat! Watch it!"

- _"You know we wanted you to get an A, Katherine," her mother told her, disappointment in her eyes._

_"Mum, I - "_

_"You're spending too much time with your friends, and not enough time concentrating on your schoolwork."_

_"I'm afraid we have no choice," her father put in. "You're grounded. No television, no phone, no friends."_

_She stared in horror. It wasn't her fault that she'd received a B-, rather than the A they'd wanted for her chemistry test. Mondo had been particularly active that week. She'd done her best, but she was so exhausted from all the recent battles it was hard to focus on the test. But to take away her friends? They couldn't! They need her to fight, and she needed them. They were her __***friends***__. "You can't!" she protested. "I'll study harder for the next test, I promise! Please! You can't take my friends away from me! I need them!"_

_"Your friends have apparently been a bad influence on you, Katherine," her father answered coldly. "We're extremely disappointed. We expected better of you."_

_Tears welled in her eyes. __***Disappointed***__. The word seemed to ring through her mind. "But I tried," she whispered._

_"Obviously not hard enough."_ -

- _"Get those Power Pukes!" Rita cheered her monster._

_She knelt beside her, holding up a tray. "Your drink, Mistress."_

_Rita accepted it absently, waving a dismissive hand. "Go finish cleaning the castle. Do a good job and I just might let you go fight the Power Rangers."_

_She looked up hopefully. "Yes, Mistress!" she said eagerly, hurrying to the kitchen. A chance to fight for her mistress! She was truly blessed by her mistress' good mood! Perhaps she would even have the chance to rid her mistress of that horrible Kimberly. Maybe Mistress would allow Tommy as her reward?_ -

Kat shook her head violently, backing against a wall. "N-no!" she shouted, gasping for breath. "That's not ... that's not me! It never really was!"

"Kat!"

To her horror, Rocky was suddenly in front of her, protecting her from the Piranatrons. He winced as he was struck across the back, whether from the old injury or a new one, she wasn't sure. She had to help him. She had to stay strong ...

- _"You can't even fight. You just dance around the monster," Aisha scoffed._

_"It's pathetic," Adam agreed cruelly._

_"Why did we get stuck with __***you***__?" Rocky demanded._

_The Rangers circled her, mocking and taunting._

_"You were supposed to be teaching me about the Rangers?" Tanya asked incredulously. "Please."_

_Jason seemed almost bored. "She's not my problem. I didn't bring her in, and I'm not dealing with her."_

_"I'm just glad I was able to leave her behind," Billy added, his expression cold._

_Tommy came forward, getting into her face. She tried to take a step back, but found she couldn't move away. "You're weak. Useless. Nobody wants you here. You think you can hurt Kimberly, and then try to take her place?" he snarled._

_"Sorry honey, but you're just not good enough," Kimberly informed her, taking Tommy's arm as she came up beside him._

_They moved back as Justin came forward, staring at her accusingly with a hurt look. "You weren't there for me. You didn't stay in touch like you promised." Navy light shimmered around him, morphing the boy into the teenager he'd become. "This is your fault," he hissed._ -

_- "You are not my son!"_

_Rocky flinched. "Papa ... " he whimpered._

_"No child of mine would be so filthy! Get out of my house!"_

_"Papa!" he pleaded, trying desperately to get the man to listen to him. "Papa, please. Don't do this."_

_His mother refused to speak to him, turning her back._

_In the corner, Rick and Ria whispered conspiratorially, shooting disgusted looks in his direction. Bri was ignoring him much like his mother. The triplets hadn't even seemed to care, too busy working on who knew what. Vannah was watching her parents, purposely avoiding his gaze._

_And Nel, his baby sister. The one who'd always understood him, who'd called __***his***__ name when she needed someone. She stared at him with a blank expression. Her silence broke his heart._

_"I can't help it," he started to sob. "I don't know why, but I love Adam. It's not something I chose; it just happened."_

_Something struck his face, and he fell backwards. Shock made him look up into the furious eyes of his best friend. "All this time, you've been fantasizing about me, haven't you? Thinking about sex with me, pleasuring yourself?"_

_Tears streaked Rocky's cheeks as he looked away from him. There was too much truth in Adam's questions to deny it, even if it wasn't all true. "I'm sorry," he whispered._

_"You sick freak!" Aisha shouted at him._

_They were leaving him. Aisha, Billy, Tommy, Kimberly, Kat, Jason, Justin. They had rejected him, rejected his heart. Again, he was alone for something he had never asked for, and had never been able to change. He'd tried so hard to please his parents, but his heart couldn't let go of Adam._

_"Never come near us again," Adam growled._ -

- _"I'm sorry! I'll do anything you want! Just please, don't leave me!"_ -

Both teenagers were sobbing openly. Rocky's words were a jumbled mix of Spanish and English as his grip on his reality blurred. Kat had crumpled, curling into a ball on the floor and sobbing into her hands as she begged for another chance. Rocky's brilliant red aura entwined with her pink, the newly made purple siphoned away into Divatox by her companion. The villainess laughed in delight, curling her fists at the sheer amount of Power flooding her body.

As the lights finally died away, leaving both broken and exhausted, Tearrah walked forward to crouch in front of Kat. She forced the blond to look up, smiling as their eyes met. "A beautiful little morsel," she mused. A hand came up to tear Kat's shirt open.

Kat's eyes shot wide with a shriek of fear, and she struggled desperately to get away. "Rocky! Help me!" she screamed.

His gaze turned to her at the scream, and he ran towards them with an angry shout. He never made it far. Quantrons grabbed his arms, and in his weakened state he couldn't fight his way free. "Kat!" he shouted fruitlessly.

He could only watch as she was forced to the ground, Tearrah leering over her as she screamed and tried to get away. "Let me go!" he sobbed, tears of pain and helplessness streaking his already reddened cheeks. "Leave her alone!"

He tried to focus, tried to find any part of him with enough energy to ***do*** something.

He never saw Kat's eyes close as she tried to do the same.

Neither of them knew anything but darkness after the rush of warm energy that flooded through them.

* * *

Ashley was singing. Softly, trying to keep herself from thinking about the darkness of the room around her, the cold of the metal restraints on the chair pinning her down. The emptiness of the room she was in. The fact that she had no idea what was happening to her friends, where any of them were, ***why*** all this was happening.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "_Searching for a sign _... _lost in the darkest of nights. The wind blows so cold ... Standing alone ... before, the battle's begun ... _"

She liked Sailor Moon. Always had. She loved the messages in it, about faith and love and friendship. How as long as you believed in yourself and your friends, everything would be all right.

A scrabbling noise nearby made her flinch. "_Bu-ut deep in your soul ... the future unfolds. As bright as the rays of the sun ... _"

Something had just run across her foot. Her voice trembled slightly as something else landed on her hand. "_Y-you've got to believe ... in the power of love. You've got to believe ... in t-the power of love. The power of lo-ove._"

The tears finally began to streak down as the thing on her hand crawled around, and her voice echoed through the empty room. "_Blazing emotion ... there's a light, that flows from the h-heart. It's a chain reaction ... and n-n-nothing will keep us apart ... _"

* * *

Vengi of Gannos was not prone to emotional outbursts. He passed that right on to his teammates: Tadix to worry, Ovari to lose her restraint, Litania to lose her temper, Wezyra to scold them all. He preferred to remain calm, studying the situation thoroughly, and arrive at his decision once that observation and thought process was complete.

But face to face with the one who had broken his Soul Bond's heart, he was filled with absolute rage. "Hold still!" he howled as the Dark Blue Ranger danced around, taunting him with that mocking smile.

"I was kinda thinking it was more fun this way."

"Stand still so that I can make you feel ***her*** pain!" he snarled. "Betrayer of the light! How dare you call yourself one of Zordon's Children?"

He was slammed against the wall, staring into the blackest eyes he'd ever seen. "What would you know?" the man before him hissed. "You've never even ***met*** Zordon! How dare you talk about him like he's some patron saint?"

Vengi was shoved hard against the ground, a foot placed firmly on his chest.

"You don't know anything about betrayal! You don't know what it's like to lose everything you've ever gained, only to be abandoned in the end! Zordon was a liar! His stupid ideals of honor and friendship! Where was their friendship when I needed them?"

His head snapped over his shoulder with a yell of "Tearrah!"

Lady Tearrah, Scourge of the Galaxies, Rogue Ninjetti, Betrayer of All that was Once Holy, smiled as she entered the room. "You bellowed?"

The Dark Ranger stared down at him, his face blank while his eyes practically glowed with his hatred. "Hurt him."

"With pleasure."

* * *

Trini knew something was wrong. Her heart was telling her that her friends were in pain. She may not be Kimberly, but she still knew that they needed her.

Needless to say, she was more than a little surprised to find that same feeling reaching out to the girl before her.

She was frighteningly pale and sickly, as though she would simply shatter at any moment. Her dry, brittle hair looked ready to fall out. Her ugly lime-yellow dress was a horrible shade that made Trini want to cringe at the feelings of ***wrong*** and ***bad*** it produced. The worst part was those flat olive-green eyes that stared blankly at nothing. The eyes of someone broken beyond the point of leaving anything behind to save.

"Prepare yourself, Spectra." the woman who'd joined them spoke up with an evil sneer. Trini wondered where she'd gotten the burns on her hands and face. They looked terribly painful. "You're about to get the adrenaline rush of your life."

- _Too high! Too high! Oh no, she was going to fall she couldn't hold on she was going to fall she was going to fall no no no no, TOO HIGH!_ -

Trini stumbled back, frantically hugging the wall behind her. She whimpered faintly. She was going to be destroyed.

Something glimmered around her, and her mind cleared. No, she was safe. She was fine. There was nothing to fear. She was on the ground where she belonged.

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Still connected to your power, I see."

Trini looked up at her, the calm warmth of her connection to the Yellow Morphin Power soothing her nerves and making her able to think straight. "You're a telepath," she stated. Her eyes narrowed coolly. "You want my Power? Find your own. I won't break so easily."

The woman laughed abruptly. "Truly? Everyone breaks, child." She smiled as she nodded to Spectra. "This one fought long and hard each time I touched her mind, with the most delightful screams. She resisted me, but now she is my perfect doll."

Trini stared at the younger girl in horror. She didn't react to the statement at all. She truly was nothing more than a doll; no mind, no heart, no will of her own.

Her fists clenched. "How could you?" she hissed softly. "How could you do that to her? She was her own person, with her own thoughts and dreams! How could you take it all away from her?" By the end she was shouting, her Power flaring a brilliant Yellow around her in response to her fury.

She attacked the woman, only to find Spectra in her way. The other girl matched her blow for blow, her strength seeming to grow as they spared. How the long the match lasted for Trini couldn't begin to say. All she knew was that when she finally stumbled back, gasping for breath, Spectra's skin was a lovely cream, her bouncing curls a vibrant red. Her eyes however, were the same flat olive.

The woman was laughing. "Thank you for your cooperation, Yellow Ranger. I didn't even have to rape your mind - you gave your Power to us willingly. Now we have our Dark Yellow Ranger, don't we dearest?" She came forward, wrapping an arm around Spectra's neck with a smirk.

"Yes, Mistress."

Trini stared as realization hit. She'd let her temper take control and had given them exactly what they wanted. She'd aided the enemy. She'd betrayed everything the Power Rangers stood for.

She fell to her knees. "I'm sorry, Zordon," she whispered brokenly.

* * *

Strike. Slash. Crouch. Block. Strike. Slash. Crouch. Block. Strike. Slash. Crouch. Block.

Yasta not win. Many enemies, one Yasta. Yasta honor fight. Manzu, Shiko, Risu, Inga, Luri proud. Lifemate proud.

A smile drifted across the young Kishnal Ranger's face even as her morph shattered around her, leaving her vulnerable and weakened.

Yasta worth Lifemate love.


	15. Broken

Chapter 15:Broken

The door opened once more, and Trini stumbled into Billy, who caught her. The Black Gold Star Ranger was quite literally thrown in, managing to tuck himself into a roll at the last moment to prevent any more injuries than those he'd already sustained. Unfortunately much to everyone's disgust, his roll ended with him quietly throwing up in the corner.

His teammate managed to limp over to him, rubbing his back and talking softly. Aisha was tempted to help her, but concern for her own teammate won out in the end. "Trini?"

Trini looked up slowly, tears shimmering in her eyes. Her expression was heartbreaking, and frighteningly familiar. Aisha had already seen it on the faces of Kimberly and Zhane.

"I ... I helped them." the oriental girl said softly.

Aisha's heart sank.

"What happened?" Billy spoke up beside her, his eyes filled with nothing but concern.

"I lost my temper. I tried to fight them, but it just made it easier to take my Power from me." She looked up as a tear slid down her cheek. "I don't deserve to be a Power Ranger."

"That's not true!"

They all looked at Purple Gold Star Ranger in surprise. The girl was glaring angrily at Trini. "You were chosen by Zordon. He would never have chosen foolishly. Don't disrespect him by questioning his decisions."

Trini only looked more depressed. "But I - "

The girl came towards her, slapping her across the face without warning. She ignored the protests of the other Rangers, looking only at Trini. "You are a Yellow Ranger, one of Zordon's Children. You are the healer. You can't help what you are. Learn to live with what's happened, and start fighting back."

Trini continued to stare at her. After a long moment, she nodded. "We can't give in to them."

"Exactly."

She held out a hand slowly. "My name is Trini."

The girl studied it, then held her own out. "Pleasure, Trini of Earth. I'm Litania of Gannos."

Trini smiled, carefully clasping Litania's hand as she showed her how to handshake. "Thank you, Litania. Now let's start figuring out what we're going to do and how we're getting out of here."

* * *

Tommy stirred slowly.

Aisha leaned close, gently touching his arm. "Tommy? Tommy, can you hear me?"

"I feel like I just had my brain removed with a spoon," came the hoarse whisper.

She smiled, her eyes suspiciously shiny. "I think we all feel that way right about now."

Tommy's left eye slowly opened halfway, trying to focus on her face. The look in them was cold and vacant, as though he wasn't completely there. "I'm sorry I didn't write you more," he said suddenly.

She blinked. "W-what?"

"I'm sorry I didn't write more," he repeated. "I should have. I didn't mean for you to feel like we forgot you."

"Of course you didn't. I understand. I didn't think you just forgot."

"Yeah, you did." He looked at her sorrowfully. "I've done a lot of things wrong. I'm sorry I didn't write to you."

She tried to smile. "I forgive you."

"Billy?" he called softly. He still couldn't get his body to move.

The other boy was there, leaning in close. "Yes, Tommy."

"Sorry I didn't stop you from staying on Aquitar. I wanted to, you know. I didn't want you to leave. I thought you wouldn't listen if I said anything. I'm sorry I never tried anyway."

Billy's answering smile was warm and gentle as he squeezed his friend's hand. "I regret not sharing my thoughts and feelings with you as well, Tommy. I regret not telling you about Jason's difficulties when he needed our support. I think it is time we start attempting to cooperate again. Friends?"

Tommy smiled back, but it still didn't reach his eyes. He managed, by sheer force of will, to squeeze his right hand around Billy's. "Friends. Could you tell Tanya I'm sorry, too?" he continued. "She's not Aisha's replacement. I didn't want her to feel like one. She's special just for being herself. Can you tell her that for me?"

"Of course, Tommy."

"You sound like you're trying to make your goodbyes, man."

His head moved just enough to look at Zack. "Not goodbyes. I just need to apologize to everyone for hurting them. But I can't move."

"That is because you have strained yourself a great deal," a new voice told him gently.

He looked up at the pretty, pale girl as she knelt by him. "Your name's Pahla," he told her. "You're here 'cause Jason needed you."

She smiled. "Yes. And you have post-cognition, Tommy."

"Post-cognition?"

"Yes. That is why you are so sensitive now. It was a subconscious ability until you used your White energy to combat Lady Tearrah's mind assault. Now it is open, leaving you able to sense the wrongs once done to those around you. Unfortunately in the process of fighting Lady Tearrah, you expelled nearly ***all*** of the White energy in your body, which is why you are currently so weak."

"I'm still the White Ranger?"

"In a way. You are what is referred to as a Power Mesh. You carry the attributes of three Power Colors rather than one. Your Color Bond with White is stronger now."

"Oh."

She smiled again. "Rest, Tommy. You have managed quite a feat today. Let your energy return to you. It will be needed."

He nodded, something inside of him already sure he could trust this stranger who'd come for Jason. His eyes closed without protest as he let his mind drift again. "Oh, yeah," he mumbled. "Tell Jason he knows Amber's absolutely fine; she can take care of herself. And Kim that I understand what happened. It's not her fault. And Adam that it's okay with me as long as they're happy." His words began to slur as he slipped closer towards unconsciousness.

"Yes, Tommy," Pahla murmured, watching him sleep. She looked up at Jason as he hovered beside her. "He needs energy," she told him softly. "He's not truly conscious at the moment; it's the effect of raw foresight ability awakening in him that brought him out of it at all. He needs as much energy as we can give him."

"What sort of energy? Any kind?" Jason asked, already reaching for his best friend's hand.

Pahla closed her eyes for several minutes, reaching out to take Tommy's other hand. She was frowning when she reopened them, then sighed after a moment, looking around. "Trini? Billy, Zack? If it is not too much trouble, Tommy will benefit greatly from your presence."

Billy frowned, even as he was already moving to touch Tommy's shoulder. "How will the four of us possibly assist Tommy in his present condition?"

"Hold on to him," she answered simply. "Let him feel you beside him. He needs the ones he is closest to now, as many as are available." Her eyes drifted over to Kimberly.

Kimberly bit her lip, looking down at Cassie anxiously. "I - "

"She needs you more," Pahla interrupted her, giving a gentle smile. "You are the only one who can help her for now. Tommy will understand."

She nodded, but still looked uncertain.

"So ... how does this help?" Zack asked.

"We're letting him know we're here," Trini told him, carefully taking one of Tommy's hands as Pahla released it. "We're letting him borrow our strength."

Billy's brow furrowed. "But - "

She squeezed his hand with her free one. "Just be here, Billy. That's all he needs."

Billy frowned uncertainly, Zack looked at Trini and Pahla oddly, Kimberly kept glancing anxiously between Tommy and Cassie, and Jason stared down at Tommy, holding tight to his hand and silently pleading with him to be okay.

* * *

Ashley was shaking and stumbling as the Quantrons pushed her into the cell. When Andros hesitantly tried to touch her shoulder, she screamed and jumped away, turning to stare at him with wild eyes. Tears welled when his face finally registered, and she flung herself into his arms.

The girl that had tried to come to their aid was tossed unceremoniously to the ground. Pahla ran to her with a gasp of horror. "Yasta! Can you hear me?"

Her eyes flickered open, and she smiled. Battered, bruised, and bleeding, she looked like she'd been in the middle of a war. Her uniform was gone, leaving her in a bright yellow tube top and black miniskirt, a gold teardrop-shaped stone dangling around her neck. She had light brown hair pulled into pigtails, and entrancing gold eyes. The most astonishing thing about her was the white cat ears perched on top of her head, the whiskers on her cheeks, and the sleek white tail that sagged on the ground behind her. Her smile brightened even more when she caught sight of Carlos standing behind Pahla. "Lifemate safe," she sighed, looking pleased with herself.

"Lifemate?" Carlos repeated, frowning.

"It means you are Soul Bonded," Pahla answered, her eyes still on Yasta. "Her people call them Lifemates."

"Soul Bonded?"

Yasta nodded weakly, then looked up at Pahla, her eyes shining. "Yasta not break. Yasta strong."

Pahla forced herself to smile at the younger girl. "Yes, Yasta. You are very strong. Manza will be proud of you. Now sleep, and you will feel better."

Yasta smiled and nodded again, her eyes drifting shut.

Pahla glanced over to where Andros was holding Ashley tightly, to Kimberly and Cassie, and then to the group gathered around Tommy, a soft sigh escaping. Quietly, she murmured a prayer in her own language. "_With the Power's grace, let us all survive this horror._"

* * *

It seemed like eons had passed as everyone anxiously awaited the return of their last remaining friends. Trini, Billy, Zack, and Jason continued their silent vigil over Tommy. Aisha, Litania, T.J., Carlos, Zhane, and Andros had renewed their determination to find an escape, plotting and testing possible plans. Tanya still hadn't moved from her spot on the floor, the Black Gold Star Ranger now sitting with her in Billy's place. Yasta had awoken at last, talking quietly with Ashley as the other girl tried to help bandage her wounds. Surprisingly enough, the feline girl hadn't lost her cheerfulness at all, and was doing her best to try and make Ashley smile. Adam still leaned against a wall staring at the corridor, unknowingly mimicking Phantom Ranger and Rocky's position before him. Kimberly remained beside Cassie, as though trying to protect the younger girl from what she couldn't fight against herself. No one ever noticed Pahla watching over them all, silently observing.

At long last, the door opened and two bodies were dragged inside. The Quantrons abandoned them quickly, and Kimberly looked up in confusion. Was it her imagination, or did they seem almost...afraid?

Trini hesitated a moment before at last gently releasing Tommy's hand to come to Kat's side, only to gasp and pale in horror. Her gaze shifted around the room as she seemed to be shielding Kat from everyone's view. "Zack? Can I borrow your coat?"

He blinked. "Uh, sure." He struggled to remove the black jacket he'd thrown on, handing it to Aisha to pass over. He grinned and winked at her when she raised an eyebrow at the black t-shirt he'd worn underneath, bearing the word 'Sexy' in bright red letters.

Aisha hurried over with the light coat, only to stare with much the same expression Trini had. She immediately took over shielding the other girl as Trini knelt down, quickly slipping Zack's coat over Kat's ripped shirt before anyone else was able to see. She nodded to Aisha once it was safe, and both began to tend to their friend's injuries. They exchanged a single glance, silently agreeing not to tell the others what they suspected had happened.

Adam only had eyes for one person. "Rocky!" He dropped to his knees beside him as he checked the battered Ranger's pulse. Finding it, he took his hand and held it tightly.

Rocky's eyes opened slowly. "Kat?" he asked softly.

Adam squeezed his hand. "Trini and Aisha have her."

"Good," he sighed. "I tried to protect her ... they didn't really want to hurt me. But I wasn't strong enough ... "

"Always have to be the hero, don't you?" Adam whispered.

Rocky smiled faintly. "Part of the job."

"Please get better," Adam begged. He leaned down over Rocky's face, smiling sadly when Rocky's eyes crossed. "We still have so much to talk about."

Rocky flinched. "I ... "

Adam's eyes pleaded. "Don't run this time, Rocky."

"I'll be taking him now, thanks," came a cold voice. With a sparkle of black lightning, Rocky was laying at Zeus' feet outside the cell.

"No!" Adam yelled, running to grab the bars. Zack and Jason leapt to catch him just before he was electrocuted.

Zeus ignored them all, kneeling down over Rocky. He murmured something that made Rocky's eyes widen. Something golden shimmered around his hand, spreading over the older boy. When it finished, Zeus stood. To everyone's amazement, so did Rocky. He inspected himself in surprise, finding nothing worse than tattered clothing.

Zeus nodded, looking satisfied, then produced a Turbo Key and morpher. He glanced up, and with a sneer at Tommy, moved toward the right, rather than the left as they usually did. "Shift into Turbo! Mountain Blaster Turbo Power!"

They stared.

Dark blue lightning flashed around Zeus as he transformed. For the first time, the suit simply formed around him while his height remained the same. When the transformation finished, he wore a navy Turbo uniform that was nearly black, the white and yellow accents darkened to almost grotesque hues.

He looked at them all, and the cell door swung open.

Everyone regarded the open door with suspicion.

"You're letting us go?" Andros demanded.

The Dark Blue Ranger shrugged. "What are you gonna do? You don't have any Powers, reliable transportation, Zords ... Half of you are barely conscious. I doubt you'll be smart enough to stay away from the Dark Rangers, but at least it'll give us something to do." With that, he teleported away.

Jason was the first to approach the door hesitantly. He reached out cautiously, passing his hand through the opening. Nothing happened. He walked through, then turned around. "It's safe."

The others hurried out of their prison, eager to escape the nightmare. Those who couldn't walk were assisted by the rest. Tanya was dragged to her feet by the Black Gold Star Ranger and forcibly pulled along when it didn't seem that she was going to go anywhere.

Adam went straight to Rocky, Aisha at his heels. "Are you okay?" he asked anxiously. "What did he say to you?"

"I'm fine," Rocky assured him. "Just need a change of clothes." He frowned. "And he said he was sorry they did this."

T.J. stared at him. "Huh?"

Rocky just shrugged. "That's what he said."

"But I thought he was the one who attacked you," Aisha protested.

He shook his head. "He never touched me. He wasn't even there. I only got hurt because I kept getting in the way when those Quantron things attacked Kat."

She frowned, then paused. "Oh, yeah." Then she punched him the hard in the shoulder.

"Ow!"

She glared at his wounded look, hands on her hips. "The next time I find out you're keeping secrets from me Rocky DeSantos, I'll hit harder." Her expression softened, and she pulled him down into a hug. "It's okay, Rocky," she whispered in his ear. "I still love you."

He blinked several times, swallowing hard. "Thanks, Aisha," he murmured.

Pahla looked thoughtful throughout the exchange, if somewhat confused by the display. "Perhaps there is some of his soul left yet."

Rocky looked up at her and blinked. "Who are you?"

She sighed and turned to Andros. "We must go to Phaedos if we are to have any chance of stopping the Dark Rangers. Dulcea guards the prophecy of their reign."

Andros nodded. "We can take the Astro Megaship. It'll be a tight fit, but we can manage."

"Go to where?" Zack demanded. "What are you taking about?"

Pahla looked at him calmly. "We're going to stop the Dark Rangers. And if we're lucky, save them from themselves."

There was a long silence.

"Um ... I don't mean to break up the mood, but how are we gonna get out of here?" Rocky asked suddenly. "Are we like, hitchhiking, or what?"

Vengi looked at him oddly. "What is 'hitchhiking'?"

Litania smirked, shaking her head at her teammate. "How do you think we got here? Walked?"

Phantom Ranger stared at her - apparently she'd morphed the moment they were free of the cell while no one was looking. "And you assume nothing has been done to your ship?"

Pahla froze, holding up a hand. "Wait. Does anyone feel - "

The world dissolved into multi-colored lights, and everyone found themselves looking around the bridge of the Astro Megaship.

Zack glanced around himself, then pinched his own arm - hard. "Ow!" He looked up ruefully. "So uh, no one else thought that was just a dream?"

"It wasn't a dream," Jason said sharply, carefully holding Tommy close: he still hadn't truly regained consciousness. "But how did we get back to the Megaship?"

Billy was frowning. "I am uncertain. Obviously, we have experienced molecular deconstruction mere moments ago, but the initiator of this action is uncertain."

There was a general assortment of blinking.

"Huh?" Rocky asked blankly.

He sighed. "Someone teleported us, but I have no idea who."

"Alpha?"

Everyone turned at Ashley's soft cry as she went to the little robot. He remained silent and dark, his head dropped forward from where Zeus had left him. She bit her lip, tears sparkling in her eyes as she reached out to gently touch his shoulder. He didn't respond, and she tried to hold in the sobs.

Andros looked around slowly at the silent Megaship, the battered and shaken Rangers, and felt a wave of despair. Zeus was right; what were they going to do? No wonder he hadn't seen them as a threat.

His eyes met Jason's.

They stared at one another for a long moment. In an instant, they found themselves in silent agreement. "Come on, everybody," Jason said abruptly. "We've got work to do."

"Ashley, I need you to take the injured to Medbay," Andros instructed. "T.J., Carlos, Zhane, let's get D.E.C.A. up and running as soon as possible."

"I will attempt Alpha's repairs," Billy offered, already inspecting the little bot.

"I'll give you a hand, Ashley," Trini put in.

"Me, too," Aisha agreed.

Andros nodded. "Then let's get to it."

"Right!" his team echoed.

* * *

She watched in silence as the streaks of rainbow left the Dark Fortress. Instantly some of the ache in her chest faded, leaving an emptiness and lack of feeling. She closed her eyes in bliss.

"_I do not do this to help you, Rangers of Light_," she murmured to herself in her native tongue. "_I do this to rid myself of your sickening presence_."

After a moment, Demoness swiftly turned and left the teleportation room.

* * *

It was a quiet, solemn group that wandered the Astro Megaship. For the Rangers of Earth, it was hard to believe that one of their own had so brutally and cruelly betrayed them all. For the other seven, it was difficult to come to grips with the fact that they had finally lost the greatest battle of all; to save the Rangers of Light from becoming Rangers of Darkness. All of them had been forced to see themselves at their worst, from within their own minds. Each one dealt with things in their own way as they all sought to recover from their ordeal in Zeus' prison.

Andros, T.J., and Zhane had begun burying themselves in repairing D.E.C.A., much the way Billy cared for Alpha 6. Trini, Aisha, and Ashley had taken over the Medbay, tending to the various injuries of Tommy, Kat, Litania, and Yasta, as well as going over those who had already been helped with better equipment. Carlos had taken a break from his own repair work and gone to Medbay as well, but not being of much help, he'd found himself drawn into conversation by the ever-cheerful Yasta and was slowly learning to understand her broken speech. Zack was talking to the newly conscious Tommy, trying to lift the other's spirits from his sudden depression. Kimberly had taken Cassie to her room and promptly refused to leave her side. Pahla was attempting to coax her into allowing others in so that she could help them both. Phantom Ranger alternated between assisting in D.E.C.A's repairs and drifting past Cassie's room mostly unnoticed. Tanya had disappeared on her own to no one knew where, only that the Black Gold Star Ranger had vanished shortly afterwards. Jason had found the simudeck and was running through katas as he tried to clear his mind. He'd been silently joined by Adam, who was obviously brooding over the fact that Rocky was also nowhere to be found.

Needless to say, the whooping cheer that echoed over D.E.C.A.'s sound system breaking the quiet atmosphere was a bit of a surprise.

So was the sight of Litania shooting out of an air duct into the bridge, rolling to her feet, and raising her arms over her head like a gymnast.

"What are you doing?" T.J. asked at last, blinking.

She flashed him a bright grin. "Exploring the ship, of course. Do you have any idea how many treasures there are here?"

"Don't even think about it," Andros said automatically.

She gave him a dirty look. "I can't help it. I ***am*** a Purple Ranger, you know. Besides, that isn't the important part. D.E.C.A. says we're almost to Phaedos."

"How do you know that?" Zhane demanded. "The sound system's still disabled."

"Oh, that. No, that was only the outer speakers. The engine room was fine. And I fixed it anyway." She waved a hand dismissively.

"Thank you for your assistance, Litania of Gannos," D.E.C.A. spoke up, startling the other three.

"Pleasure."

"D.E.C.A.?" Andros asked, sounding as though he was afraid to believe she was all right.

"Yes, Andros?"

He sighed, closing his eyes. "Nothing. How close are we to Phaedos?"

"We will be arriving in seven shifts Kerovian standard time. Earth equivalent of four hours."

Litania blinked. "Eh?"

"Soon," Zhane informed her.

"Oh."

Andros was silent for a moment. "D.E.C.A., please summon all the Rangers to the simudeck and boot up Campfire Program."

"Yes, Andros."

* * *

"What part of 'don't injure Rocky DeSantos' wasn't clear to you?" Zeus asked with forced calm.

"Is it ***my*** fault he tried to protect the girl?" Tearrah asked, inspecting her fingernails.

A burst of lightning flung her into a wall with a sickening crunch.

"Yeah. It is," Zeus told her coolly.

His eyes drifted down after a moment to the knife Spectra held to his throat. "You'd better move that before I get seriously pissed off." His tone was mild, but his eyes were dangerous.

"Never touch my mistress again," Spectra returned softly. It was the first time the rest of the Dark Rangers had heard her speak. Fists clenched and body tense, something flashed in her dull eyes for a moment.

"Spectra."

For once Tearrah's command wasn't obeyed, leaving Zeus and Spectra trapped in their deadly exchange. The others watched them in fascination.

Zeus' fingers twitched.

Tearrah suddenly had her arms wrapped around her servant, effectively breaking the moment. "I'm bored with this," she yawned, squeezing Spectra tighter. "Come, Spectra. I have better things to do."

For a minute it seemed that Spectra wasn't going to respond. At last she bowed her head, sheathing the knife. "Yes, Mistress," she murmured.

Zeus watched the pair leave for a moment before heading for his rooms. Something essential had just been revealed to him, and he needed information ***now***. He had work to do.


	16. Explaination and Philosophy

Chapter 16:Explanation and Philosophy

There was definitely something to be said for D.E.C.A.'s simulation capabilities. The Campfire Program was a large warm fire surrounded by enough logs to seat all twenty-two of them. It had taken some time to find everyone and make sure they made it there, but they'd managed. Now they all looked at one another warily, no one quite certain of what to do.

"I believe introductions may be the best choice of action," Pahla spoke up at last. Everyone's eyes immediately turned to her. "I am Pahla of Icindra. I am known as the White Taeo Ranger, a guardian of the Orin Galaxy. I am here because I sensed the need to help my Soul Bonded."

"Your what?" Aisha looked confused.

She smiled slightly. "Soul Bonded. I believe your planet calls them Soulmates. Or Lifemates, in some languages," she added, nodding to Yasta. "Every Power Ranger is given a Soul Bonded, as a reward for their service. Many are Bonded to a member of their own team, though a few are Bonded to Rangers of other planets. I am one of those few."

"You mean your Soul Bonded is one of us?" Zack asked.

"Yes. That is the same reason the others are here as well, correct?" She looked around for conformation.

"Yup," Litania returned cheerfully. "I'm Litania, Purple Ranger of the Gold Star Rangers. We protect the Satra Galaxy."

"I'm Vengi, the Black Ranger," her teammate informed them. "We both felt the call of our Soul Bonded."

"Yasta feel!" she chirped. "Yasta Yellow Kishnal Ranger. Kishnal Rangers protect planet Crisa, planet Dosa. Yasta come protect Lifemate." She smiled adoringly at Carlos, who seemed confused.

"I felt it as well," the Phantom Ranger said softly, the cybernetic voice making the gentle tone sound odd. She had politely refused Jason's offer to demorph and join them, choosing to stand in the back. "I am ... I am called the Phantom Ranger. I have wandered for many years since I left my planet. I met the Turbo Rangers of Earth and knew I must help them. When I sensed them in danger, I had to come."

"Do you all know each other?" Trini asked curiously. "It seems like you've met before."

"For the two of us, we know the Taeo and Phantom Rangers only by reputation," Vengi answered. "We have never met a Kishnal Ranger before today." He inclined his head politely to Yasta.

"It's hard ***not*** to know them if you follow intergalactic news," Litania added wryly.

Pahla nodded. "I am the same for the Gold Star Rangers and Phantom." She smiled warmly at Yasta. "Yasta however, I have worked with in diplomatic APG meetings."

Yasta nodded as well, giggling. "Yasta go meetings for team." She wrinkled her nose. "Yasta not trust others go. Meet Pahla. Pahla Yasta good friends!" she chirped, beaming.

There was a pause.

Andros glanced around, then sighed. "Andros of KO-35, Red Astro Ranger." He was beginning to feel like a broken recorder. He supposed it was foolish to hope there wouldn't be many more introductions with this group.

T.J. shrugged. "T.J., Blue Astro Ranger, former Red Turbo Ranger."

"Carlos, Black Astro Ranger, former Green Turbo Ranger," he recited, looking bored.

"Ashley, Yellow Astro Ranger, former Yellow Turbo Ranger," she said quietly. Despite Yasta's best efforts, she still wouldn't smile.

"Silver. Call me Zhane." The corner of his mouth twitched slightly as he glanced over at Andros, who glared back.

Cassie looked up tiredly from where she leaned against Kimberly. They'd managed to wake her at last, but she had become as clingy to the other girl as Kimberly was in return. "Cassie, Pink Astro Ranger, former Pink Turbo Ranger."

Kimberly glanced down at her, her eyes sad as she lightly ran a hand along the younger girl's hair. "Kimberly, but you can call me Kim. Former Pink Ninja, Pink Thunder, and Pink Dino."

"Jason. Formerly Gold Zeo, Red Thunder, Red Dino," he stated simply, finally able to grasp the concept of the Ranger introduction.

Trini looked up from where she and Aisha had Kat sandwiched between them. No one knew quite why, but the two girls had become fiercely protective of her, and rarely left her side. Even more strange was that Kat seemed to appreciate it, almost hiding behind them. "Trini, former Yellow Thunder and Yellow Dino Rangers."

"Aisha, former Yellow Ninja and Yellow Thunder."

After a slight nudge from Aisha, Kat's voice came out soft and meek. "Kat, former Pink Ninja, Pink Zeo, and Pink Turbo."

Zack looked at her worriedly. "Zack. Former Black Thunder and Black Dino."

"Tommy, formerly Red Turbo, Red Zeo, White Ninja, White T - Thunder, and Green Dra - Dino Ranger." He looked a little sheepish. He was still weak despite having his injuries repaired through D.E.C.A., leaning against Zack. Tommy seemed to be reaffirming old friendships, and Zack was currently the one he'd been spending the most time with.

Billy smiled slightly at his friend's inability to get his forms correct. "Billy Cranston of Earth, former Blue Ninja Ranger, Blue Thunder Ranger, and Blue Dino Ranger."

Adam's words were weary. "Adam, Green Turbo, Green Zeo, Black Ninja, and Black Thunder."

"Rocky. I used to be Blue Zeo, Red Ninja, and Red Thunder Rangers." He'd found a place as far away from the rest as he could get without actually leaving the circle, but couldn't help glancing at Adam whenever he thought no one was looking.

There was a moment of quiet as everyone looked at Tanya. She didn't even seem to be part of the conversation, gazing dismally into the fire. Vengi nudged her slightly. She looked up at him, staring blankly for a moment as he tilted his head pointedly. "Former Yellow Zeo and Turbo," she murmured finally, her voice so quiet they had to strain to hear her. "Tanya."

There was another moment of silence. "What happens now?" Ashley asked at last, her voice soft.

"You know of the prophecy," Pahla answered. It wasn't a question. "Now we go to find the completed scripture, in the temple of the Ninjetti on the planet Phaedos. That is why we must find Dulcea, the master warrior of Phaedos. She will tell us the location of the temple."

"Why?" It was the first thing Tanya had said without prompting in nearly two days.

"Why what?"

"Why should we go? We're obviously not going to be of any help." she said dully.

"What in in the name of the Power kind of talk is that?" Litania demanded. "Of course we will!"

Tanya looked up slowly, meeting the other girl's gaze. "We can't fight. We're not Rangers. We don't have any Power because we gave it to them. What good are we going to do?"

Litania's answering stare was cold. "Why did Zordon chose you?"

"He didn't," she said after a moment, realizing what the other was asking. "Aisha sent me to bring the Zeo Crystal in her place. I wasn't chosen - just there."

"That's _shisight_," Litania snorted. "You wouldn't be a Ranger if Zordon didn't want you there. Obviously he saw something in you that I'm not seeing now. Was that what you gave the Dark Rangers?"

"Litania!" Vengi snapped.

Something flickered in Tanya's eyes. "What would you know? You weren't there. Obviously they didn't go through your mind and trick you into - " She broke off abruptly. "They didn't do to you what they did to us."

"They may as well have." Litania retorted. "I'm here for my Soul Bond. His pain is my pain. When my heart ached with sympathy, I felt as though I would cry because he wouldn't. I have a Bond to Vengi as well, because he's my teammate. He feels his Soul Bond's pain, and I feel his pain for her. Don't assume your pain is greater than anyone else's just because it's your own."

"Just because you feel it doesn't mean you went through it!" Tanya snapped back, some of the fire returning to her eyes.

Litania considered her for a moment. "You're not a Yellow Ranger," she said abruptly.

Tanya stared. "Excuse me?"

She continued to study her. "Yellow Zeo, maybe. But definitely not Yellow in Morphin Philosophy. You're not a healer."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tanya demanded.

Litania stared back coolly. "Yellow Rangers are healers. If you were a healer, you'd be spending all your time fussing over everyone else instead of yourself. You're not a Yellow."

"Are you calling me selfish?"

"Ladies!" Pahla shouted.

"Tanya! Sit down!" Jason snapped as she began to rise to her feet. "Litania, stop provoking her! We need to be working together now, not against each other!"

Litania humphed. "It's not my fault she's acting like a spoiled _aket_. If she's that much of a coward, I don't see why she's even still here. And it's definitely not my fault she isn't Yellow."

"Who are you calling spoiled?" Tanya yelled, struggling as Vengi held her back from attacking the other girl.

"Both of you, knock it off!" Jason snarled, subconsciously slipping into what Kimberly had once termed his 'leader voice'.

They subsided, settling for glaring at one another.

"I don't get any of this," Aisha said at last as she watched Tanya, feeling slightly disturbed by the strange shift in the other's personality. "What about Yellow and healers?"

Pahla sighed. "I suppose this should all be out in the open. It answers Tanya's questions about why you are still needed, as well." She took a deep breath.

"The Power we Rangers use is a force of energy that exists on another plane, yet connected to this one. It is in everything, plants, animals, people. Not everyone taps their Power. Whether or not it is used to form a Ranger doesn't matter; the energy still exists within you. Your Color is a part of who you are."

"So you mean after all this time, we're still Rangers?" Rocky said incredulously. He turned red when everyone looked at him and shrunk down in his seat.

She hesitated. "In a manner of speaking. You have the Power, that is true. However, there are different levels of the Power to be accessed. Everyone has Basic level; it's the initial connection to the Morphin Grid. Shade is someone just who's begun to tap into it, such as a psychic or prophet, or master warrior. Power Rangers are called Apprentices. They have a strong enough connection to the Power to manipulate it, such as morphing. A Master Apprentice is the older, stronger Rangers. They may not need to use a morpher to focus their energy, and generally have tapped into their Color Talent. Those such as sorcerers or wizards that easily use their talents are Young Masters. The highest level is the Color Master, when one can use the purest energy of the Grid without conscious thought. They're extremely rare due to the amount of time and Power it takes to become one." She hesitated, then added "Zordon is a Gold Color Master."

"What about all of you?" Billy wondered.

"We're merely Apprentices," Vengi replied, nodded stiffly to Litania. He was still angry for the way she'd treated Tanya.

"Yasta Ap-pren-tice." She dragged out the word as she struggled to say it, then flushed as everyone smiled. "Not Dosian word," she mumbled in obvious embarrassment.

"As am I," Phantom Ranger spoke up, startling them all. She had been silent for so long most of them had forgotten she was there.

Pahla hesitated, faint pink tingeing her cheeks. "I am a White Master Apprentice," she admitted.

"What about the colors?" Aisha persisted. "You make it sound like they mean something."

She smiled. "Color will always mean something to a Power Ranger," she teased gently, making Aisha grin at her own mistake. "What Litania was referring to was Morphin Color Philosophy. The Morphin Grid has many Disciplines attached to it." She hesitated, trying to think of a simpler way to put it. "A philosophy, or belief system of its meaning. The most widely known and accepted is the Morphin Philosophy. There are others, such as that of the Zeo Crystal. It was created by science, and follows one of the lesser-known disciplines. Generally however, most follow Morphin Discipline.

"By that standard, Red is the Color of courage or the warrior, and often the leader. Blue represents knowledge; those who do well with the sciences, medicine, or are simply good at strategizing. Yellow is the healer, or often the peacemaker. Black is the artist, be it musically or otherwise. Green is similar to red, but with a more frontal approach, and are usually called the fighter of their group. They are considered to be the most active of the Colors, and in many cases, the most troublesome."

There was a few chuckles as the former Dino Rangers glanced over at Tommy. He blinked, then reddened slightly as he caught on.

"Pink is the heart of the team, the one who heals the emotional turmoil of their teammates. Purple is the Color of honor, often for guards or royalty, though several of them have been reformed thieves." She eyed Litania at this, who grinned and winked. "White represents those who are more in tune to the energies around them, such as the mind and spirit. It's a rare gift, which is why White Rangers are rare. Silver and Gold are rare as well, and considered among the most sacred of Colors. Gold is the commander, the leader of their people. Silver is the Color of light, and is often a light in the darkness for their team."

Zhane blushed as T.J. grinned at him and Ashley came the closest to smiling she had yet.

"There's something I don't get," Rocky spoke up hesitantly. "Why did Divatox need me and Kat? How did Red and Pink make a Dark Purple Ranger? I mean, shouldn't it be Red and Blue?"

Litania shot him a grin. "And who said Morphin Colors work like science?"

He blinked, confused. "Huh?"

"Red means Courage, and Pink is the Heart. Together that's Courageous Heart." She tossed her curls, not the least bit embarrassed by the description of herself. "Purple is the Color of honor. To uphold Honor, you need a Heart filled with the Courage to do so." Then she made a face. "How Divatox expects to have the heart of a Purple Ranger, I've no idea."

"Oh."

"Why aren't there any brown or orange Rangers?" Adam asked.

Pahla sighed, a soft smile drifting across her face. "I've been asked that before, by one of the children of my planet. There is a legend of how the Power was created, and with it, the forming of the Power Rangers. There is said to be a planet in the center of the multiverse, known as Syrina. Syrina is the center of the intergalactic web that links all universes and dimensions. In the beginning, it was an empty planet, barren of all life. Two warriors, exhausted from an excruciating battle, were shot down in the middle of a hyperspace jump. Finding the planet safe, they began to rest from their fight against evil. It was then that they discovered the planet's links to the infinite galaxies and dimensions. Their enemy found them there, and attacked. Knowing that the planet must never be conquered, they fought with everything they had, until they had nothing left to give. As they lay dying, watching as their enemy began to plot out their conquest, they shared the same thought. They wished with all their hearts to save the planet, and protect it from the ones who would use it for their own gain.

"Deep within the planet resided three creatures of great Power, who heard the warriors' wishes. They were touched by their selflessness. They granted the pair the ability to access the Morphin Grid, so that they could protect the planet. One received the Power of nature, the other, the Heat that came from deep with the center of a star. They used their new Power to defeat the enemy, and send them far away from the planet.

"As a reward for their great service, the creatures offered them the planet, and asked them to protect it. They agreed, and found that the planet was not barren as they had thought, but was filled with great beauty below its rocky surface. The pair were crowned king and queen by the planet's creatures, and ruled with kindness and generosity. Eventually their legend spread, about warriors in shining costumes of brown and orange who fought so valiantly. More warriors were found who could tap this great Power, and wore bright costumes of color as they fought against evil. They came to be called Rangers of Power, or more commonly, the Power Rangers. Yet to honor the pair who began this great tradition, it was decided that no one should wear the colors of brown and orange, for no one could ever hope to be their equal. It was for this reason that there were never any brown or orange Power Coins or Morphers made. It was also decided that in honor of the love they shared, and for the sake of those who decided to fight for peace, each Power Ranger would be given another as their Soul Bonded, someone who would share in their adventures and understand them in ways no other could. Those traditions continue today."

More silence fell.

"What are we going to do?" Trini asked eventually, looking around at the group. "We can't just forget any of this happened."

"I won't forget," Tommy said fiercely. "Justin is my responsibility. I'm going to fight, and bring him back to us."

"I still don't understand why Justin?" Adam spoke up. "What would make Justin turn evil? Is he under a spell or something?"

Pahla shook her head. "His affection for Rocky proves against that. His mind has been twisted, making him believe things that are mostly untrue, but based on fact. It is the work of the demon Vengeance."

"Who's Vengeance?" Aisha asked. "You mentioned him before."

"Vengeance is a true demon, one of Dark Specter's most favored servants. Dark Spectre favors him because not only is he efficient at both killing and brainwashing, but Dark Spectre himself fears Vengeance's abilities. He holds one of the highest positions in the Alliance of Evil because of this."

"So Vengeance made Justin hate all of us?" T.J. asked, frowning as he tried to keep everything straight.

Pahla sighed. "Vengeance can only work with feelings that already exist. Justin may not have hated you, but he felt slighted at the very least. And a depressed former Ranger would be the perfect target for Vengeance's work. He strengthened Justin's feelings of bitterness and turned them into a desire for revenge and punishment. Part of the problem lies in his companions."

"Zedd," Jason spoke up. "Zedd was the one who attacked me."

"Goldar," Zack admitted, making a face.

"Scorpina went after me and Tanya," Aisha confessed. "I didn't realize it at the time, but I recognized her laugh when I thought about it."

"Rita," Adam grumbled.

Zhane's eyes were distant. "Astronema."

Rocky scowled. "Divatox wanted me and Kat. And that one in white - Tara, or whatever her name was."

Pahla nodded. "Zeus' allies are enemies who know and despise you for your fights against them. That is why they sought to hurt you so badly."

"So who are the other three we haven't met?" Zack asked. "White, Pink, and Yellow, I guess."

"Pink is Demoness," Cassie replied softly. "Jus - Zeus introduced her to me." She shuddered, leaning in closer to Kimberly. The older girl squeezed her shoulders gently.

Guilt flickered in Trini's eyes. "Dark Yellow is called Spectra. I don't know who the other woman is, but she called her 'Mistress'."

"Divatox said T-Tearrah," Kat murmured, shivering.

"Lady Tearrah," Vengi corrected gently. His eyes were dark as he stared into the fire. "Scourge of the Galaxies, Rogue Ninjetti, Betrayer of All that was Once Holy. She has many titles."

"Tearrah's probably here for the battle," Litania informed them. "She's crazy." Her expression was entirely serious.

Pahla nodded again reluctantly. "It has been said that Lady Tearrah is truly insane. Spectra is her servant."

"Doll," Trini corrected, eyes narrowing. "She called Spectra her doll."

"But why did they want us?" Zack persisted. "We've never even met them!"

"But Zeus wanted a team of Dark Rangers. They are Dark Rangers, and he offered energy by attacking all of you. He may have bribed Demoness. She's not known to be social." Paula caught herself in a yawn and blushed again. "Forgive me. This has been a most trying day. I believe I will retire. Good night." She gave everyone one last smile before heading out.

Yasta stretched, making a noise that sounded like a yowl. "Yasta sleepy," she murmured, rubbing at her eyes with the back of a hand. She was adorably childish and cat-like all at once.

Litania smiled slightly. "Come on, Yasta. Let's get you to bed." She stood and offered a hand to the younger girl, gently pulling her to her feet. She glanced over her shoulder at Vengi as they headed out, but said nothing.

Her teammate sighed. He looked at Tanya and to everyone's surprise, lifted her hand to kiss the back. "I should go as well. I'll see you in the morning. I hope your thoughts are resolved by then." He nodded to them all and left.

Everyone sat in silence for several moments.

"Rocky?" Billy spoke up abruptly, looking over at him.

Rocky froze. "Yeah ... ?" he asked cautiously.

Billy watched him for a moment, his expression thoughtful. "I regret that none of you were able to spend as considerable an amount of time with the Aquitian Rangers as I myself have been awarded."

"Why's that?" Aisha asked, glancing at him.

He smiled. "Because I believe you would be most interested in the knowledge of the intimate relationship between Aurico and Cestro, a fact that is rather publicly illustrated."

Rocky blinked. "Huh?"

He chuckled. "Aurico and Cestro are Soul Bonded."

Kat finally looked up at him in surprise. "They are?"

He nodded. "Homosexuality is quite common, and rather unimportant outside of Earth's influence."

"Homosexuality?" Andros frowned at him.

"A romantic relationship between persons of the same gender," Billy explained.

Andros looked startled. "You actually have a name for that on Earth?"

Zhane gave Billy an annoyed look. "That makes it sound like there's something wrong with it."

"Of course not," Trini assured him. "But there are people who are uncomfortable with it, and make it seem like it's a bad thing."

"It is not!" he said hotly, looking offended.

"No, it isn't," T.J. agreed. He gave him a considering look.

Andros noticed, and explained simply "Zhane's uncles were Soul Bonded."

Kimberly smiled softly as she glanced over at Rocky, who was watching them all with a startled expression. "That means it's okay, Rocky," she told him. "None of us are homophobic. No one's angry at you."

His eyes widened as he snapped to look at her. "You're ... not?"

Jason frowned. "Why did you think we would be?"

He looked away, clenching a fist. "Not everyone's okay with it," he muttered.

Adam leaned over to squeeze his shoulder. "Don't worry so much. It's fine." He froze when Rocky glanced up at him and abruptly turned red. He patted his shoulder awkwardly for a moment before looking away.

There was another long pause.

"Billy, can I ask you something?" Tommy asked suddenly.

The former Blue Ranger looked at him, startled. "Of course, Tommy. What is it?"

"Why ***did*** you stay on Aquitar? Was it really for Cestria?"

Billy sighed. "No," he admitted quietly. "Cestria is one of my closest friends, but nothing more. I stayed because I wanted to research the cause of my inability to accept the Gold Ranger Powers. I had asked if there was any way their technology could assist me. Cestro agreed to lend his aid with my research. I was ... reluctant to tell you all why I was actually staying, and Cestria offered to be my excuse until I was comfortable with giving the true explanation."

More silence fell.

"I wish Zordon was here," Kimberly said suddenly, her voice soft.

Everyone winced.

"Zordon left for Eltar after we became Turbo Rangers," Adam told her. "He took Alpha 5 with him. Dimitria and Alpha 6 took their place."

Billy shook his head. "Zordon isn't on Eltar. He was captured by Dark Specter."

Jason, Kimberly, Adam, Aisha, and Tanya all stared at him in horror. None of them had a chance to hear the news Billy had shared with the other five. "What?" Jason demanded hoarsely.

"Dimitria took Blue Senturion with her and went to find him. The Power Chamber was destroyed hours later, and we went into space to find help. Justin stayed behind to be with his dad," T.J. put in quietly.

Rocky shot him an odd look. "His dad?"

"I saw the news coverage of the shuttle taking off," Tommy commented. "But I figured Justin went with you."

Ashley shook her head. "We waited after he got us onto the shuttle, but he said he couldn't go with us."

"He got you onto the shuttle?" Aisha asked.

"Snuck us on, actually," Carlos admitted. "We didn't want N.A.S.A.D.A. to know who we were."

Billy frowned. "If that's true, then Justin couldn't go with you."

The four Earthling Astro Rangers looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean?" T.J. asked, frowning.

Billy shrugged slightly. "If he left the N.A.S.A.D.A. engineers to attempt to follow you, it would have raised suspicions. Once they discovered his identity, it would have been simple to come to realization of the rest of you. Power Rangers are far from exactly subtle about our friendships." He smiled wryly for a moment before it faded back into a more serious expression. "The Power protects us from being discovered, but only when we actually have it."

They exchanged guilty glances. "I never thought of it that way," Carlos admitted.

"I thought he was staying to be with his dad," Cassie murmured. Kimberly gave her shoulders another squeeze.

"But if Zordon isn't on Eltar, where is he?" Jason asked, bringing everyone back to the earlier conversation.

"No one knows," Andros answered him. "We've been trying to find him for months without any luck."

"We haven't heard anything about Dimitria or Blue Senturion, either," T.J. added. "Alpha stayed with us, but we don't know anything else."

"Poor Zordon," Kimberly said softly.

"Never thought I'd miss him so much," Zack agreed.

They all fell silent again.


	17. Neverending Nightmare

**Author's Notes/:** -Hmms- Interesting ... According to Quizilla, my Power Rangers slash pairing is Adam/Rocky 'a pairing that could be horribly fluffy or wonderfully angsty'. I'm not sure if that's my ***favorite*** pairing, but I can definitely agree with the fluffy/angsty part.

This update is for Hagar and Dagmar Buse, for being my favorite critics. ^_~ You two always make me think things through even further than I thought I already had, and push me to do better. This story would never have come as far as it has without the both of you, and I can't begin to thank you enough for that.

On which note, Chapter 15 was reposted because I couldn't figure out a way to work Hagar's question back in without rewriting what I missed. -Looks sheepish- Also fixed a few issues from 14 and 16, but nothing worth going back to read again.

Chapter 17:Neverending Nightmare

T.J. wandered into the hanger, thinking only of a nice chocolate milk to calm his nerves after his seventh nightmare in two days. He squinted blearily at the synthetron menu, trying to remember what the code was. He scowled as he kept coming up blank; he was too tired and too rattled to think straight.

"D.E.C.A., Soretemo Tea, please."

He jerked in surprise to stare at Vengi, who merely smiled faintly and continued to sip his own drink. "I didn't see you," he muttered stupidly, wondering just how out of it he was.

"It is the black clothes." Vengi returned smoothly. "They make me practically invisible."

He eyed him oddly, accepting the drink from the synthetron and joining him at the table. "What are you doing up?" He paused, glancing down warily at his cup. "And what is this?"

"Soretemo Tea; an Shinniyo specialty. Excellent for soothing the senses." Vengi took another sip. "And I suffer from the same inability to sleep we all do."

He stared at him blankly.

Vengi glanced back up at him, looking amused. "I have nightmares as well," he clarified.

"Oh." He blinked rapidly, then frowned. "How did you know I've been having nightmares?"

"Who hasn't?" Vengi returned wryly, but the amusement was gone now. Instead he looked back at T.J. solemnly. "No one simply recovers from having their greatest fears pushed in front of them, T.J. Not even a Power Ranger."

T.J. winced.

He hadn't forgotten Ashley, who had started screaming the first time she'd walked into a dark room and taken hours to calm down. Yasta had admitted to him later that she still refused to close her eyes without a nightlight, and regularly woke up screaming. Then there was Billy, who went into battle mode whenever he didn't hear someone coming and remained pale and jumpy for hours later. Zack couldn't stop talking, constantly making some sort of noise. Tommy kept spacing out for no reason, and complained about getting migraines all the time.

They'd all been affected by what had happened. And no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't sure how to make it right again. He wasn't sure if they'd ever be all right.

A hand reached out to touch his.

"No one simply recovers, T.J.," Vengi repeated, his eyes boring into his. "But we can accept it, work past it, and grow stronger."

"You sound like you know."

He was quiet for a minute. When he spoke, his eyes were distant and dark. "As a child, I suffered for a very, very long time. I was rescued by the Gold Star Rangers before my team, and brought to my new home. But even now, I cannot forget what I experienced as a child." He looked up again. "While I know that I will never be able to sleep easily again, I have come to accept that there is no shame in that."

"How?" His voice came out as a whisper, and he felt ashamed for not sounding more unaffected.

Vengi's expression softened. "My brother once told me that fear exists in all things, in all creatures. We are only weak when we refuse to acknowledge it."

They stared at one another. Eventually, T.J. slowly began to nod. He wasn't ready to accept what he'd seen on the Dark Fortress just yet, but he understood what Vengi was trying to tell him. He wasn't okay, but he could try to deal with it.

It was a start.

He took an abrupt long swig of his tea. It was sweeter than he'd expected. "I should get back to bed," he said finally, standing to return his cup to the synthetron before D.E.C.A. lectured him about cleaning habits. He paused. "Thanks. It ... I've still got a lot of thinking to do. But this did help. So, thank you."

"I am always here when you need an ear," Vengi assured him.

He eyed him, suddenly curious. "Can I ask you something? Why don't you and Litania have the same accent?" In any other moment, he probably wouldn't have been able to bring himself to ask, but he was feeling a bit braver after their conversation. Vengi sounded incredibly formal when he spoke, almost in the calm, soft way that Pahla did. Litania sounded like she could have come from the streets of L.A.

The smile he got in return was bittersweet. "There are several reasons. Litania has been exploring other cultures ever since she was a child; she's picked up enough languages that her accent is 'unique', to say the least." He hesitated. "As for me, I was taught to read and write at a late age. It made it difficult for me to learn new languages. I'm ... " He paused again, considering. "Litania refers to it as book-based learning."

T.J. frowned. "You mean booksmart?"

Vengi nodded, but his expression didn't seem anymore enlightened. "Litania's grasp of your English language is better than mine."

"Oh." He tried not to look as uncomfortable as he suddenly felt. Maybe he shouldn't have asked after all. "I'd better - "

"T.J."

He stopped. "Yeah?"

"Litania is like a sister to me. You do not want to know what I will do if she is hurt."

He blinked again, unsure of what that was supposed to mean. "Uh ... okay." Then he stopped in the doorway one more time, hesitating. It really wasn't any of his business ... But he had to know. "Vengi? What are you afraid of?"

There was a long moment of silence.

"Walls," the other said at last.

"Walls?" he echoed uncertainly.

Vengi nodded once solemnly, and he couldn't bring himself to ask again.

He made it back to his room, sneaking past the bunk Billy and Zack had squeezed themselves in to share, and climbed carefully into the one above. He'd always wondered before why the Megaship had bunk beds; now he was incredibly grateful for it. Things were cramped enough as it was.

Zack was humming in his sleep. He could make out some sort of tune, but he wasn't sure what it was. Billy whimpered slightly and muttered something under his breath, and there was the sound of someone shifting in their sleep.

"D.E.C.A.?" he called softly.

The camera in the corner of the room blinked on. "Yes, T.J.?" she returned quietly.

"How many people on the Megaship are asleep right now?"

"Seven are sleeping; five show signs of discomfort, possible nightmarish state. Fifteen are awake," she answered.

He lay back, staring up at the ceiling. It was wrong. But somehow knowing that he wasn't the only one who still wasn't okay, made him feel a lot better.

* * *

_Courage learns Cruelty, Fighter to Sorceress_

_Commander to Mercenary, Artist then Destroyer, Spirit turns Killer_

_Honor fades to Thievery, Healing gives Pain, Heart comes to Hate_

_Knowledge faces Betrayal, and Light turns to Darkness_

She stared at the pieces of the prophecy she'd been able to gather. Her eyes were starting to lose focus from lack of sleep, but she refused to give in to exhaustion. There was something in these words that she hadn't seen; something she was still missing. Something vital.

She ***had*** to know what it was.

"Red, Green, Gold, Black, White, Purple, Yellow, Pink, Blue, and Silver," she muttered to herself. "Red, Green, Gold, Black, White, Purple, Yellow, Pink, Blue, Silver." Her eyes blurred again, and she abruptly slammed her fists against the console. "_Farah_!" she snarled in frustration.

A hand caught one of hers, squeezing gently. "Hey," Trini told her softly. "That isn't going to help anything. The last thing anyone needs is for you to hurt yourself."

She closed her eyes, struggling to take a calming breath. "Forgive me," she said stiffly. "I am - "

"Why don't you take a break?" Trini coaxed, tugging lightly on her hand to draw her away from the monitor and into a chair.

Pahla sighed. "Forgive me," she repeated, quietly now. "It is unlike me to lose my temper so easily."

"It happens to everyone," Trini assured her, taking the chair next to her. She gave her a considering look. "So, you want to tell me what that was about?"

She tried to find her center; that place that kept her calm, cold, and logical in the face of everything. But the moment she looked at Trini again it was gone. She was too tired, too frightened. Too desperate for answers she couldn't seem to find.

"I hoped to find some sort of solution to the prophecy," she muttered at last.

"When no one else has before?" Trini's teasing was gentle, but it still made her pride flare.

"I have seen countless things no other has!" she snapped. "It stands perfectly to reason that I could - "

"Solve a prophecy that everyone has been staring at for centuries and still don't understand?" Trini interrupted. Her smile was warm, her tone soothing and understanding. Something in her eyes sparkled with amusement. "You remind me of Billy."

She frowned, uncertain if she'd just been insulted or not. "How so?"

Trini sighed with fond exasperation. "He can't stop trying to solve puzzles. Especially when they concern the people he cares about." She eyed her knowingly. "He won't quit until he finds something that might help."

Pahla looked away. "I ... " She hesitated, sighing at last. "If I am unable to do the things I came here for, I must do all I can to be of assistance."

Now it was Trini's turn to frown. "The things you came here for?"

She kept her eyes on the monitor she'd been using. "I was unable to accomplish the task I came to complete. Therefore, I must be of help in another way."

There was silence, then an abrupt gasp. "Oh, Pahla ... "

She stiffened as arms were suddenly around her, and looked up to Trini's soft, understanding gaze. "Pahla, it wasn't your fault that we didn't escape," she told her gently. "Zeus made that prison to hold us. From what the others told me about Justin, he's too efficient to make breaking out easy."

She blinked rapidly. "I was able to break in." Her voice was harsher than she'd expected it to be.

Trini sighed. "And they were waiting for you. One of the first things Zeus said before he left us there was that we were waiting for the ones who'd try to rescue us. He ***knew*** you were coming. He was planning on it. That doesn't mean you failed." She smiled. "After all, you're the one who knows so much about what's going on. You explained the Dark Rangers and all about the Morphin Philosophy to us. We wouldn't have known any of that if you weren't here."

She looked away again. "The Morphin Philosophy is a part of my planet's culture. I have studied it since I was a child. It is nothing new to me."

"But it is to us," Trini insisted. "It explained a lot we didn't know. And you know so much about the Dark Rangers - "

She let out a harsh chuckle. "I know only what I have learned through research," she muttered at last. "And even that ... " She blinked again. "Even that isn't ... wasn't ... "

She found herself being hugged tighter. "Pahla," Trini murmured, then sighed again. "Pahla, no one asked you to know everything. We've ***never*** expected that of you. I don't know why you think we would."

She shook her head. "If there is nothing else I can do - "

"You're here," Trini interrupted sharply. "You came to help when we needed you. It didn't work out the way anyone expected. But none of us know what we're doing right now. We certainly don't expect you to!"

There was a long silence as she closed her eyes, swallowing hard. "I am a Taeo Ranger," she murmured. "It is my duty to be strong and confident, to succeed when all others fail."

"You're a ***person***," Trini corrected. "Your 'duty' is to do the best you can to do what you believe is right. Anyone who tries to demand more doesn't care enough about you."

She eyed her. "You realize you have just insulted my planet."

Trini's gaze didn't falter.

She sighed, letting her head fall against Trini's shoulder. The movement was completely unlike her, but she was too tired and upset to care. "You are in love with Billy?" she asked suddenly, closing her eyes as Trini moved to hug her again. The last person to hold her this way had been her brother, and he had stopped years ago.

"Yes," Trini's voice was full of affection. "How did you know?"

"Your eyes smile when you speak of him," she murmured, her eyes drifting closed. She wasn't ready to sleep yet, but it helped with the headache she was developing. She would return to her research in a few moments.

"You came here to help Jason, didn't you?" Trini asked suddenly.

"You could tell?"

She could hear Trini's grin. "Your eyes smile when you talk to him," the other girl teased. "And it helps that you're wearing his Power Coin."

"Billy does not know?" she asked quietly.

Trini sighed. "Not yet," she admitted. "I never had the courage to before. And then I thought he loved someone else ... Now I'm just not sure if it's the right time."

"Your lives are in peril. Now is the perfect time, before you can only regret."

"Touché," Trini murmured, sounding amused again. "I could say the same for you and Jason."

She hesitated. "Jason ... does not know me. You and Billy have been friends for a long time, correct?"

"Jason is also the sort of person who goes with his instincts," Trini told her. "If you two are Soul Bonded like you said, it won't matter to him how long you've known each other. He'll do what he knows feels right."

"That is completely illogical."

Trini laughed. "It's also completely Jason."

She paused. "Trini? Are we ... friends?"

The respond was firm, as was the hand that squeezed hers. "Always."

She smiled slowly, squeezing back as she yawned and slowly drifted off to sleep. "Always," she mumbled.

* * *

Yasta held Ashley's head to her chest, purring softly for all she was worth. The other girl continued to sob softly, clinging tightly to her. She stroked her hair, shifting subtly until she was sure that Ashley's ear was against her heart.

"Ashley safe," she whispered as she purred. "Ashley safe. Friends protect Ashley. Yasta Ashley friends. Yasta protect Ashley forever."

The sobs didn't stop, but arms squeezed her waist in response.

She smiled. "Yasta always help Ashley," she murmured. "Yasta protect friends forever."

Below them, Litania slept on.

* * *

"We can't all just go at once," Andros said firmly. The corner of his eye was twitching. "Dulcea will think we're sending an army after her."

"But we can't split up," Aisha protested, her arm wrapped tightly around Kat. "We're already targets. If we're vulnerable, we should at least be vulnerable as a group. That way we can still protect each other."

"She has a point," Jason admitted after a moment, glancing at Andros.

The younger boy resisted the urge to throw something at his companions. "Dulcea's protected Phaedos alone for centuries. Having twenty - two people suddenly show up unannounced is going to make her think it's under attack. We'll be destroyed before we can even explain what we're looking for and why."

"But even if we do split up, who do we send? I mean, some of us shouldn't be left alone, and the others ***can't*** be," Rocky pointed out.

Tommy shot him a dirty look from where he sat. "I'm just fine on my own, thank you."

The truth was that he'd just managed to walk around under his own power that morning.

Pahla and Trini glanced at one another as they all argued. Trini tried not to smile. "I don't think it was a good idea to put four Red Rangers in one room to discuss a plan," she whispered.

"Perhaps not," Pahla agreed. "Especially with Aisha."

They giggled softly and smiled at each other.

"Guys, let's be blunt about all this," Rocky spoke up, looking irritated. He began to count off on his fingers. "Tommy, you're barely on your own feet. Kat's not in any shape to be left alone, and I'm afraid to leave Tanya by herself. Aisha and Trini won't leave Kat, and Vengi's glued to Tanya for some reason. Kim's not gonna go anywhere without Cassie, who's ***definitely*** in no shape to go. Ashley looks like she's gonna cry at any second, Zhane's still having a guilt complex. That leaves Jason, Zack, Billy, Adam, Andros, T.J., Carlos, Pahla, Litania, and me. Oh, and Yasta, who's apparently Carlos' shadow whenever she's not with Ashley. And I'm not going anywhere that I can't keep an eye on Adam." He folded his arms in annoyance, then reddened as he suddenly realized what he just said.

"So then the nine of us should be the landing party," Andros replied, looking just annoyed.

"Then who helps guard the ship?" Aisha demanded. "Trini, Zhane, and I can't do it alone."

"All right, Jason, Zack, Billy, Adam, Pahla, Litania, and Rocky go. The rest of us will take care of everything here."

The group eyed one another warily while Pahla and Trini just looked on in amusement. "Fine," Jason said at last.

"Fine," Andros snapped back.

Rocky rolled his eyes. "Fine."

"Fine," Tommy muttered darkly. He was only agreeing so he could help watch over everyone on the ship.

"Whatever," Aisha retorted.

Pahla looked at Trini again. "May the Power protect me," she sighed quietly.

Trini giggled.


	18. Within the Mind

Chapter 18:Within the Mind

In the end it was Jason, Zack, Billy, Rocky, Adam, Pahla, and Yasta who became the landing party for Phaedos. Litania, oddly enough, had insisted on staying behind. It was Yasta who demanded to go, telling them that Dulcea was her friend.

Jason looked around at the barren rocky beach. "Everybody stay close," he ordered. "We don't want to lose anyone."

The others nodded in agreement.

They began to hike in no particular direction, being that no one really had any idea of where they were or where they were supposed to go. Yasta immediately took the lead, bounding over the larger rocks with cat-like grace, purring all along the way. Rocky and Adam walked close together in silence, glancing at each other every once in awhile. Zack and Billy followed them as the other boy questioned his genius friend about his life on Aquitar. Jason and Pahla took up the tail end of the group, their only conversations the occasional warning of a loose rock or branch to watch out for.

Needless to say, they were surprised to see a cloaked figure drop down in front of them without warning. To their even greater surprise, just as the figure raised its staff threateningly, it was tackled by Yasta. The robed one stumbled, nearly falling down, as Yasta began to meow repeatedly, her tail swishing behind her as she beamed up at the attacker. After a moment's hesitation, they seemed to strike up a conversation that ended with Yasta giggling as she pulled away, and the figure patting her head gently.

The attacker chuckled and stepped back, withdrawing their hood. "Forgive me, Rangers. I am Dulcea, master warrior of Phaedos. I protect these sacred grounds from any who would use them for their own gain." Her voice had a distinct accent to it that seemed vaguely Australian. She was tall, with curly auburn hair to her shoulders and dark eyes, dressed in a tattered dark green bikini with knee-high green boots and a brown cloak. The tall staff remained clenched tightly in her hand.

Pahla bowed. "Please forgive our intrusion, Dulcea. We have come seeking the Dark Rainbow Prophecy. The Dark Rangers are complete."

Dulcea stared at her, then muttered something under her breath that made Pahla raise an eyebrow and Yasta's ear twitch in distaste. She looked up at them again. "I will do everything in my Power to stop the Dark Rainbow. I am not permitted to leave these grounds, but I can tell you where to find the temple, and give you a place to rest before the journey. Follow me."

* * *

They had gathered around Dulcea's fire, the older woman listening as Pahla and Jason relayed their story. She frowned deeply as they finished at last, her gaze sweeping across the group. "And only you seven were well enough to make this journey?"

"Not exactly," Zack admitted. "The ones that could of stayed behind for the others."

She looked at them all thoughtfully, then stood without warning. "You will not defeat the Dark Rangers as you are."

They stared at her in surprise. "We can't just give up," Rocky protested. "Justin needs us."

"The universe needs us," Adam echoed.

She turned, her gaze cold. "And what will you do while Tearrah attacks your minds, Demoness forces her hatred upon you? When your own teammate tortures you with nightmares? Mere love and friendship cannot save you this time."

"Then what will?" Jason returned, rising to meet her eyes.

She hesitated, then sighed, looking away. "You cannot defeat them as you are," she repeated. "Your minds and spirits are weary, your hearts bruised. There can be no weakness in the face of the Dark Rangers. For all the light, purity, innocence, and love you possess, they hold darkness, corruption, cruelty, and hatred. To defeat them, you must be united in your strength." Her eyes passed over each of them again in turn. "Your determination, your sensitivity to the extraordinary, your joy, your intelligence, your loyalty, your love. That is what you must learn to harness."

"How?" Billy asked.

"It will not be easy," she informed them. "To fight the darkest of souls, you must find the purest of light. The light that exists within each of you. But all souls also carry darkness. You must push through that darkness, accepting it as part of yourself, and find the light that has been lost. It is a difficult and trying journey of the spirit." She began to pace, then sighed as she seemed to come to a decision. "Stand before me across the fire."

They exchanged glances, all of them instinctively looking at Jason. He hesitated, then nodded. The rest rose to their feet, looking nervously at Dulcea. Even Pahla and Yasta came to stand with them, both girls looking proud and unafraid of what might happen.

"You have seen the darkest and deepest fears of your mind. Now you must return to face them. Should you succeed, you will find the true sources of your Power, and the ability to fight once more. Close your eyes." She removed a small amount of ashes from the pouch at her waist, tossing them into the fire. It flared, and each of the teens found themselves slipping into a deep trance.

* * *

- _She couldn't be gone. She was too tough to just give up like that. She'd never leave him; she swore she wouldn't. Said she couldn't expect him to take care of himself anyway._

_She couldn't just leave him. She was the only family he had left. His guardian, his sister, and his mother all at once. He hadn't been able to tell her how much he appreciated everything she'd done for him. She was the only person he'd never needed to look after, because she was the one who took care of him. The only person he wasn't responsible for, his rock, was gone? She couldn't be. She would never just ... _ -

Jason shook his head. No, that wasn't what had happened. Amber wasn't gone.

- _He burst into the room and found an empty bed. He looked around wildly for a moment, then stumbled out into the hall. He bumped into Billy and froze at the sight of his friend's tear-filled eyes. "Jason - " he whispered._

_"Where's Amber? Billy? Billy, where is she? Where's my sister?" His voice was starting to rise with his panic._

_"Mr. Scott?"_

_"Lee Scott," he corrected the doctor automatically, turning to look. "Where's my sister?"_

_"Mr. Lee Scott, please, calm down. Your sister is awake, and currently receiving a more thorough examination." He frowned slightly. "She also demanded a shower."_

_He laughed, slowly at first, then louder as the tension slowly faded from his body. He turned to Billy with a bright smile, tears of joy sparkling in his eyes. The other boy gave him a teary smile back. He laughed again, grabbing his friend in a tight hug. "She's all right. Amby's all right!"_

_"Jason, I can't breathe ... "_ -

He smiled. He remembered now. She fully recovered, lecturing Jason about abandoning his duties at the peace conference the moment she'd seen him. She'd insisted it hadn't been serious to begin with, and everyone was making too big a deal out of everything. After all she'd pointed out, few things could take out a Lee Scott.

Warmth crept over him, and he could hear the low rumble of what sounded like a large cat. Turning, he was startled to see a lion staring at him. The lion didn't move, merely watching him, and somehow he knew there was nothing to fear.

The lion seemed pleased by his thoughts, coming up to rub against his leg. He found himself reaching out to pet it without a second thought. It simply didn't even occur to him to be afraid. After a moment he realized why: the lion was an extension of himself, and there was no reason to be afraid of that.

"I am the Red Ranger," he said aloud. "I am the Lion."

In the distance, he could hear a familiar screeching of protest that sounded like a car being sideswiped, echoed by a similar roar.

He looked up to see a red tyrannosaurus and a red dragon staring down at him almost accusingly and smiled. "Sorry. I'm the Lion, the Dragon, the Tyrannosaurus, and the Gold Zeo Ranger."

The three creatures seemed to nod their approval. The lion rubbed against him again, purring. "Accept the future, without forgetting the past," Jason realized. "I am the Red Ranger."

* * *

- _Silence. Absolute silence. Frantically, he tried to listen, to hear the Rhythm that life produced. The Rhythm he'd danced to since the day he was born, the Rhythm that made him whole. He couldn't hear it. Where was it? It couldn't have just stopped! The Rhythm of Life did not just __***stop***__! Why wasn't it there? He __***knew***__ it was, it always was, it had to be! So why didn't he hear it? _

_He'd lost it? He'd lost the ability to hear the Rhythm? That wasn't possible! The Rhythm was a part of him, a part of everyone and everything! He'd never not been able to hear it! It had to be there! It __***had***__ to be!_

_The silence, blasted Silence make it stop make it stop make it stop "Make it stop!"_ -

The silence was abruptly stopped by a trumpeting noise, and Zack found himself blinking in a sea of darkness. No, not darkness. Black.

"'Black is the artist, be it musically or otherwise'," he quoted, remembering Pahla's words. "'The Power is in everything. Whether or not it is used to form a Ranger doesn't matter; the energy still exists within you. Your color is a part of who you are'. Life will never be just noise to me, because I'll never stop hearing the Rhythm."

He smiled as the trumpeting noise came again, followed by a roar. An odd barking noise made him laugh. "I am Zack Taylor, Black Mastodon, Black Lion, and Black Otter."

* * *

Billy had been in this place before, this world of infinite Blue. Ninjor had showed it to him, so long ago.

- _The Rangers were in trouble again. He had to think quickly, get them something to help. The Zords were failing. They needed him, needed his expertise._

_He had nothing. Absolutely nothing._

_"Billy!" Red Zeo shouted through the monitor._

_"Help us, Billy!" Pink Zeo cried._

_"Billy, please!" Pink Ninja Ranger begged._

_"Billy do something!" Red Thunder bellowed._

_"Billy we need you!" Black Dino yelled._

_"I - I - I ... " he stammered. "I don't know! I don't know what to do!"_

_"Now Billy!" Zordon ordered. _

_"Oh, no!" Alpha screeched. "It's too late!"_

_He stared in horror as the Zeo Megazord burst into flames and showers of color. Yellow Dino's voice screaming his name echoed through the monitor. "No ... no!" he shouted, tears streaking his cheeks. "No!"_ -

"No," he echoed, more quietly than he had in his dream. It was easier now, when he was able to think calmly and clearly, to know that the dream wasn't real. "The Rangers aren't helpless. I don't have to protect them all by myself. We're a team. Our strength is in each other."

A low howl came from behind him, followed by a screeching roar and a neigh. He smiled as he turned to greet them. "Wolf, Unicorn, Triceratops. Hello again, old friends."

* * *

Rocky whirled about in a haze of red and blue. Where was he? Which way should he go?

- _"You are not my son!"_

_"No child of mine would be so filthy! Get out of my house!"_

_"Papa!" he pleaded, trying desperately to get the man to listen to him. "Papa, please. Don't do this."_

_His mother refused to speak to him, turning her back._

_In the corner, Rick and Ria whispered conspiratorially, shooting disgusted in his direction. Bri was ignoring him much like his mother. The triplets hadn't even seemed to care, too busy working on only god knew what. Vannah was watching her parents, purposely avoiding his gaze._

_And Nel, his baby sister. The one who'd always understood him, who'd called __***his***__ name when she needed someone. She stared at him with a blank expression. Her silence broke his heart._

_"I can't help it," he started to sob. "I don't know why, but I love Adam. It's not something I chose; it just happened."_

_Something struck his face, and he fell backwards. Shock made him look up into the furious eyes of his best friend. "All this time, you've been fantasizing about me, haven't you? Thinking about sex with me, pleasuring yourself?"_

_Tears streaked Rocky's cheeks as he looked away from him. There was too much truth in Adam's questions to deny it, even if it wasn't all true. "I'm sorry," he whispered._

_"You sick freak!" Aisha shouted at him._

_They were leaving him. Aisha, Billy, Tommy, Kimberly, Kat, Jason, Justin. They had rejected him, rejected his heart. Again, he was alone for something he had never asked for, and had never been able to change. He'd tried so hard to please his parents, but his heart couldn't let go of Adam._

_"Never come near us again," Adam growled. _-

Tears glimmered in his eyes. "No. Adam is still my friend, and so are the Rangers. My family accepts me now. That's the past."

- _Red and Blue. Why did he have to be __***Red***__ and __***Blue***__? There was no way he could be as strong and brave as Jason, or such an awesome leader. That was __***Jason***__. And Blue? Billy was a genius! He wasn't an idiot, but he was nowhere __***near***__ Billy's level of smarts. How was he supposed to compare?_

_Did Zordon do this on purpose? Was he trying to prove to Rocky he wasn't good enough to full anybody's shoes? He didn't want to. He just liked being a Ranger and protecting people. He knew he wasn't Jason and Billy. He didn't want to be. He wasn't that great, after all._ -

He shook his head again, more confident now. "No. I'm not Jason or Billy and no one expects me to me. Blue doesn't even mean the same thing in Zeo philosophy. I don't need to be anyone but myself."

A point of light shone through the colors, drawing him towards it. As it washed through him, he heard a pair of familiar roars, followed by chittering. "Red Dragon, Blue Sphinx." He blinked. "Wait, Zeo Ranger III didn't have a spirit."

The chittering noise persisted, and the light drew him closer.

His eyes widened in realization. "I understand now," he breathed. "I ... I was never ... That wasn't really me. That was what I was needed to be. I was Red Ape, Red Dragon and Blue Zeo because I could be, and we needed them. But what I need ... "

The color flooded through him, warming him.

"I am the White Ape!" There was a pause, then "Aw, man! Talk about stereotypes! And I'm Hispanic!"

* * *

- _Justin was screaming._

_"Justin!"_

_"No!"_

_"Justin, hold on!"_

_The others were trying, fighting to get to him. Adam thrashed against the bars of his cage, desperate to escape. He had to help. He had to get free!_

_The screaming stopped._

_The monster pulled back, mouth dripping blood as it laughed. Justin lay in a crimson heap on the ground, unmoving. _

_"Justin!" he shouted. "No! Please! Justin!"_ -

Adam shook his head. "Justin isn't helpless. He never was," he informed the black and green world he had found himself cocooned in. "Maybe it's hard for me to accept because he's so young. It's hard for all of us. But that doesn't mean it isn't true. And ... " He hesitated as he thought of the true fear that dream signified. "None of my friends are helpless. I just have to help them the best I can, in whatever way is needed. That's all I can expect from myself, no matter how hard that is to admit."

- _What had he done? Rocky was his best friend! Even if he didn't feel the same way, he'd still wanted to be friends! What would he do without him? Who would be his other half now?_ -

He shook his head again. "Rocky is still my other half," he announced. "He's always going to be my friend." He hesitated once more. "And ... and ... " He trailed off helplessly. What did the rest of the dream mean? He didn't ... he couldn't ... Did he?

- _Rocky, grinning as he offered a hand to him. Rocky looking up with a sheepish expression. Rocky looking to the side, fists clenched in anger. Rocky watching him walk away, a hand raised as he smiled and waved. But his eyes ... His eyes were ... _-

"Rocky," he whispered, staring upwards. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply. What did Rocky mean to him? They were friends, obviously. He'd never been so close, cared for someone so deeply as he did Rocky.

His eyes shot open. Cared deeply? Did that mean ... His best friend, right? That was ... It couldn't be. He wasn't ...

He closed his eyes again. What was he supposed to do? How could he just ... decide like this? He ***had*** to talk to Rocky. But what would he tell him? What was he supposed to say when he did?

- _"Adam, you think too much." _-

He blinked. "Rocky?" he ventured tentatively. Then he rolled his eyes at himself. Yes, like Rocky could hear him from...wherever this was.

But he was right. He was thinking too much, wasn't he? He always did, and Rocky ...

Rocky was always the first to point it out.

His eyes narrowed in thought. How long had Rocky ... ? Zeus insinuated that it wasn't new, and the way Rocky had avoided him ever since ...

"I don't know what I'm going to say," he said at last, his voice soft in contemplation. "But things can't stay like this. I'm going to have to talk to him. And what happens after that ... " He swallowed, trying to fight down a sudden surge of nervousness and fear. "Whatever happens after that, happens. But I'll talk to him." He frowned. "Whether he wants me to or not."

The cocoon fell away, and he found himself drowning in a new color. His frown deepened. "I don't understand. I thought no one could be this color."

A growl answered him, echoed by a ribbit and a flashing of headlights.

He turned and found himself facing a familiar group. He smiled fondly. "Black Lion. Green Taurus. Desert Thunder. My other Ranger forms."

The frog before him ribbited again.

He nodded slowly. "Just because I could take on someone else's power doesn't mean that was me. And no one said I shouldn't be myself. I'm the Brown Ranger." He paused as the implications of that sunk in. "I'm a Brown Frog."

* * *

Pahla surveyed the whiteness around her. Images passed by, but she ignored them. Her Ligel was safe, protected by her brother and the Rangers. The Rangers still loved her and always would. They were all Bonded too closely to doubt that.

Another pair of images almost made her pause, but she shook them away as well. The Rangers of Earth did not think she tried to act above them; Trini herself had proclaimed them to be friends only last night. As for him ... she would trust in the Bond. The Soul Bond would not fail her.

The White Dragon of Vision regarded her quietly. After a moment of studying one another, it bowed its head to allow her a glimpse of the creature behind it. This one cocked its head at her for a moment before letting out a screeching call of curiosity.

She nodded. "I understand. I am a Taeo Ranger, but for this mission I will borrow your strength as well. I shall be the White Griffin."

The Griffin titled its head the opposite direction, and let out another call.

She blushed. "I will not forget my reasons for being here, nor my reasons for returning," she murmured almost shyly. "I - I will find a way to bring all those I love into my life."

The Griffin fluffed its feathers, while the White Dragon quietly slipped into the background.

* * *

Yasta giggled as she floated in a field of yellow sparkles. They swirled around her, twinkling on her nose and eyelashes. She purred, hands outstretched to accept their light and warmth. Images of darkness and pain were on the horizon, but they could not touch her here. Here she basked in light and happiness. She had no worries. She knew everything would be all right in the end.

Another purr came from behind her, and she whirled with a squeal of delight to hug the creature. "Yasta get Animal Spirit now! Yasta Yellow Tiger!"

* * *

Dulcea nodded to herself as the brilliant glow of color finally faded from each of the group across from her. She had been right in her judgment of them; they would be a powerful force to combat the Dark Rangers. "Welcome back, Rangers," she said softly as they began to open their eyes. "You have proven your worth to the most important of all; yourselves."

She walked up to Yasta, smiling at the innocent girl who beamed back at her. "Yasta, as Yellow you are the healer, searching for those that need you. Your inner spirit is the Tiger, fiercely protective of the ones you love.

"The dancer of Black. Zack, you see the beauty and joy of life when others do not. You are the Otter, playful and clever."

Zack grinned.

"Billy, problem solving is the Blue Ranger's mantra. But do not be fooled," she cautioned as he started to look a little worried. "No Ranger stands alone. You are the Wolf, cunning and swift."

"Rocky," Her smile was warm. "Powerful. Smart. There is more to you than you allow others to believe. You are the mighty Ape, under your true color of White."

He muttered something about '_gringo_' under his breath, but she continued on without asking.

"Adam." She frowned. "Adam, what's wrong?"

"I'm still a Frog," he sighed. "A ***Brown*** Frog."

She surprised herself by laughing. "Yes, a Frog. Like the one you kiss." She leaned forward to press her lips against his forehead. "Get a handsome prince." Her smile softened. "Be honored, Adam. The Frog is a sacred animal which symbolizes a courageous spirit. You wear the Color of the Scout, who watches over his team unnoticed."

He blushed, then flashed a slight grin at Rocky. "Looks like we both get new Colors."

Rocky stared at him with an unreadable expression for a moment, then grinned back. "Aw, we're just special."

Dulcea moved to the Icindrian. "Pahla, as White, you are a powerful psychic. Your spirit is the Griffin, unique and magical."

The pale girl smiled back at her.

At last she stopped in front of her final charge. "And you Jason, are the undisputed king of the jungle: the Lion. You are a courageous warrior and leader, a true credit to your Color Red."

Jason just smiled, the compliments accepted, but never going to his head.

"What do we do now?" Adam asked after a moment.

"You shall continue to search for what you came for," Dulcea replied. "You will find the prophecy of the Dark Rangers in the Temple of the Ninjetti. It resides deep within the Neola Jungle beyond this plateau."

"Dulcea come?" Yasta asked hopefully.

She smiled sadly, moving to squeeze the girl's shoulder. "I am afraid to prove yourselves worthy of reading the prophecy, you must do this on your own."

Yasta pouted.

Dulcea looked at Jason. "I believe in Zordon's wisdom. You will succeed. When you leave Phaedos, send the rest of your broken friends to me."

Jason nodded. "Thank you."

She smiled bitterly. "Thank me by avenging the Ninjetti who fell against Lady Tearrah."

"The Ninjetti?" Adam echoed.

"May your animal spirits watch over you," Dulcea told them, her smile becoming gentle again. Then to their amazement, sparkling green lights swirled around her, leaving a small white owl in her place. The owl hooted once and flew away.

"What the - ?" Zack sputtered. "You all just saw that, right?"

Yasta blinked at him. "Earth Rangers not know? Dulcea dead many years."

They stared at her. "Y-you mean that was a ghost?" Rocky croaked.

She shook her head. "Guardian spirit. Tearrah kill Ninjetti, Dulcea sacrifice self protect Phaedos." She couched down to poke at the fire, unconcerned. "Dulcea help others come."

The boys exchanged disturbed glances.

* * *

There was no particular reason that he'd chosen this planet. It wasn't any great political power in the APG, other than the reputation of its Rangers. It didn't have any Power sources, let alone on the level that Earth had. Tactically speaking, it meant nothing to him.

But as the Dark Red Ranger stood over the smoking remains of the Icindrian capital building, people screaming and running for their lives around him, bodies piled in the streets, it meant everything. He was strong again. He was Powerful.

He was Lord Zedd, and no one would ever overpower him again. Not Master Vile, nor his wife or her brother, and certainly not some upstart Dark Ranger who thought he knew everything. Who had the audacity to believe that he knew more than ***Lord Zedd***, emperor of the galaxies.

"I am Lord Zedd," he growled to himself. "And I will ***never*** let anyone take what is mine again."


	19. Trials

**Author's Notes/:** Rocky's dust bunny comment is a reference to the quest through the Desert of Dispair for the Temple of Power, in the opening to the Ninja Powers season. (Season three, I think?)

Chapter 19:Trials

"So, let me get this straight. A ghost made us conquer our inner fears so we could find our Spirit Animals and Colors. But other than telling me my family would be insulted to know I'm the White Ape, this accomplished nothing. So ... what was the point again?"

Everyone sighed.

"The point was to find your center, accept your fears, and connect with your Spirit Animal and true Color. Should you manage to find a White Power coin or morpher, you would be able to use it. Meanwhile, you have a stronger connection to the Grid and may even begin to develop Talents," Pahla explained patiently as the group hiked through the Neola Jungle.

"Oh." There was a moment of silence. "But what if we don't find a White morpher or coin?"

"I do not know, Rocky. I do not have foresight."

"Oh." Another pause. "Is that a Color Talent?"

"There are three types of White; Psychic, Mental, and Visionary. Each type has two distinctive Talents. Mental types possess telepathy and telekinesis. Visionaries have foresight and post-cognition. I myself am a Psychic type which means that I am psychic and paranormal psychic."

Jason, Billy, and Adam braced themselves for another of Rocky's questions. To their surprise, it was Zack who asked "What do all those terms mean? Like psychic and paranormal psychic. What's the difference?"

"Psychism is the ability to sense energy. Aura reading, energy build up, Power fluctuations, and such. Paranormal Psychism is to sense the energy of the spirit, particularly the dead. Telepaths read or project thought. Telekinesis is to move objects by mere thought-"

"Wait a minute," Jason interrupted. "T.J. said something about Andros and Zhane having telekinesis. They're not White."

"Telekinesis ***is*** a White Color Talent, but that is not the only reason it develops. In the case of Andros and Zhane, they are Kerovian. All Kerovians are telekinetic."

"And the Visionary Talents? What do those do?" Rocky persisted.

"Foresight is visions of the future. Post-cognition is visions of the past."

Rocky just looked at Pahla for a moment. "Whites are complicated," he said at last.

"Yeah, you are," Adam put in.

Rocky sighed as Zack snickered and Billy and Jason fought smiles. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

Adam just grinned.

Jason glanced at Pahla. "How do you know all this?"

"My people are strict followers of the Morphin Discipline. When a child is born, they are immediately taken to a priest who determines what Color their Power is. Depending on what that Color is, they are given a training program to develop the skills attributed to their Color. Eventually, a select few who truly excel at what they've learned are chosen to take up the Power. I have trained as a White Psychic type for as long as I can remember. When I was deemed strong enough, I became the White Taeo Ranger."

Jason frowned. "But then how do you learn any other skills if you're given a specific set the moment you're born?"

She glanced up at him, looking thoughtful as another smile flickered across her face. "Some things that are universal, such as learning martial arts like _Usha_. But in the end, we find our system is best for our people."

"Does anyone else find the journey thus far suspiciously easy?" Billy called over his shoulder.

"Don't say that!" Zack shot back. "That's the fastest way to bring trouble down on our heads besides having Tommy with us!"

As if to answer him, the ground beneath them began to tremble, then shake violently.

"Hey, Billy!" Adam yelled over the noise as they all fought to stay on their feet. "Ever hear the expression be careful what you wish for?"

"Everyone grab hands!" Jason bellowed. "Make a chain! Don't let go!"

They clasped hands. Pahla was just reaching for Jason when the forest floor underneath her feet gave way. "Pahla!" Jason cried, lunging for her.

He missed.

Pahla tumbled backwards into the crater, arms flailing. For a brief moment, she stared at Jason as he watched her fall, horror in his eyes. Then her heightened senses kicked in, assessing the situation. She twisted her body so that she fell at an angle, then used her feet to push off the side of the crevice opposite of the other Rangers. She forced her body high into the air, grabbing at a protruding rock. She clung tightly, praying to the Power for the rock to hold.

She looked up to find Jason about eight feet above her. "Throw a vine!" she called.

Jason looked around frantically, only to realize there was nothing they could use. The only vines nearby weren't very long or strong enough. Biting his lip, he looked at the others behind him. "Hold onto me! I'm going to reach down and pull Pahla up!"

"Are you insane?" Zack cried.

Shaking his head, he released Billy's hand and headed toward the crater. Dropping to his knees, he began to reach into the gap. He felt someone latch onto the back of his pants, and held back a wince as he was nearly cut in half. Forcing the pain away, he leaned down to Pahla.

Her eyes widened. "Jason, no! Get back! You'll fall!"

"That's a chance I'm willing to take!" he shot back. "I'm not leaving you!"

"Jason!"

Stubbornly he continued to creep forward, despite her protests. Soon he felt the grip change to his ankles, and felt him self slip completely into the space. He stretched as far as he could. "Grab my hand!"

She reached high over her head, cursing silently as their fingertips remained a few inches apart. "It's not going to work! Just get out of here and go on without me!"

"Never!" Desperate, he looked around wildly for something, anything, he could use for those last few feet. Spying his belt, he hurriedly unbuckled it and lowered it to her. Just as she grabbed for it, it slipped through his fingers. "No!"

Pahla quickly caught the belt as it fell. Drawing her hand back, she threw it outward, lashing it tightly around Jason's wrist. He immediately seized it with the other hand just as the rock she'd been holding broke free, leaving them both dangling in mid-air.

"Pull us up!" Jason shouted.

As the others slowly began to pull, Pahla swung her other hand up to the belt. Carefully she pulled herself along it, climbing higher until she was able to clasp Jason's shoulders. He quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, holding tight. After a few minutes that seemed more like hours, Jason found his knees resting against the ground. He immediately heaved backwards, toppling the two of them over and away from the crack in the earth.

Almost instantly, the shaking stopped, and the gap closed up as though it had never been there in the first place.

Jason looked up at Pahla, who had fallen on top of him. "Are you okay?"

She forced some air from her lungs, then slugged him in the shoulder. She snarled something at him in a language he didn't understand, then began to rant, waving her arms for emphasis. He blinked, confused. "Uh ... Pahla?"

She continued to rave, not seeming to hear.

"Pahla?"

"_Zarae,_" Billy said sharply. She paused to look at him as he continued with "_Lingu sa Icindra._"

She blinked for a moment, then flushed. "Forgive me," she murmured, embarrassed. "I tend to forget what language I'm speaking when I'm angry."

"I noticed," Jason replied, eyeing her warily. "Are you going to hit me again if I ask if you're okay?"

She glared at him, remembering why she was yelling in the first place. "_Pani_! You could have been killed!"

"So could you," he pointed out, wondering silently what a '_pani_' was. He decided he probably didn't want to know.

She gaped at him, then settled for punching his shoulder and rolling off of him.

He rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he adjusted his pants. A grunt of pain made him look up sharply.

Billy was crouched down, one hand on his left ankle. He looked up, his expression grim. "I appear to have wrenched it in the process trying to stay upright. It's not broken, but it will impede our progress."

"Was that before or after you nearly threw yourself in after Jason?" Zack asked dryly as he slung Billy's arm over his shoulder.

Jason looked at him in alarm. "Are you - "

"I am fine, Jason," he assured him with a smile.

He looked at him dubiously for a moment, fairly certain he wouldn't lie if he wasn't, but unable to stop from being concerned anyway.

"Either way, we'd better hurry up and find this prophecy so we can get you back to the Megaship," Rocky commented as he grabbed Billy's other arm. He and Zack began to helped him hobble along while the others kept watch. "What language was that anyway?" he added, glancing curiously at Billy.

Billy blushed faintly. "Eltarian. It's one of the galactic commons used in APG diplomacy meetings."

He looked confused. "You're a politician?"

Billy's blush darkened as he cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It's a long story. I'd uh, prefer a complete gathering of all um, affected parties."

"Yeah, that's a politician for you," Zack teased as Yasta giggled.

Jason reached for the belt still wrapped around his wrist with a sigh, frowning when it wouldn't come loose.

A pale, slim hand closed over his. "I apologize," Pahla said softly. "I am used to doing that to inflict damage."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "You use belts to attack your enemies?"

She laughed in spite of herself. "No! My weapon is a Power Whip." She smiled fondly as she snapped the belt, releasing him. "I never wished I had one so badly until just now."

He took the belt back and fastened it around his waist again. "A Power Whip?"

She nodded. "The traditional weapon for a White Ranger. I learned to use it from when I was very young. One could always tell when I'd been practicing, for I'd be covered with welts when I was finished." The nostalgic smile on her face faded into a frown as she noticed the reddish-purple Jason's wrist was turning. She carefully took his wrist in her hands, inspecting it, and sighed. "It's a shame Canta isn't here. She could fix that for you in moments."

"Yo, lovebirds!" Zack called. "You mind stepping up the pace?"

"Zack!" Adam protested.

"What? I'd like to get everyone away from here before something else attacks us."

Jason shook his head. "You're right, Zack. We'd better get a move on." He cocked his head at Pahla as they moved to catch up with the others. "Who's Canta?"

"The Yellow Taeo Ranger," she explained. "Yellow is the Color of the healer. She was born with the gift, and has trained with it for years."

"So what's your team like?" he asked as he looked around, searching for signs of trouble.

Pahla did the same as she answered him. Had she not been so distracted, she would have seen the cord of Red, Gold, and White between them that brightened and intertwined even tighter.

"Hey, Zack?" Rocky spoke up.

"Yeah?"

"If you curse us by saying ***that*** name again, we may have to hurt you."

* * *

The journey to the temple continued, somewhat slower than before. Yasta was still in the lead, still purring. Questioning from Billy had revealed that she was actually singing. She had called it a Dosian Courage Song, adding that it was for warriors. Zack and Rocky were behind her, still helping Billy along. Jason and Pahla came next, still chatting amiably as they kept a watchful eye out. Adam had fallen to the end of the line, absently keeping an ear open for trouble as he found himself watching Rocky more often than anything.

He was so busy staring he never saw the vine that crept up behind him. It clamped on his ankle without warning, while another reached up and covered his mouth before he could yell. They yanked him to the ground and dragged him backwards into a sand hole. He began to panic when he realized none of the others had noticed.

Rocky frowned as something tickled on the edge of his senses. It didn't feel right. He turned to ask if anyone else felt it when he saw Adam just about to disappear into the sand. His eyes went wide, and he completely forgot that Billy was leaning on him. "Adam!" He sprinted forward, jumping in after other boy.

"Rocky!" Jason threw himself on the ground, grabbing the other boy's ankles. Pahla caught him as he was nearly pulled in, while Zack managed to latch onto Pahla's waist. Billy grabbed Zack, with Yasta behind him. The four in the back dug their feet into the ground, pulling for all they were worth. Slowly, inch by inch, they pulled until Rocky emerged, Adam tight in his arms. Both boys gasped for breath and were nearly pulled back in by the vines still clutching at Adam.

"Pahla, Zack, Billy, keep pull!" Yasta shouted, releasing them. She extended her claws, leaping forward to slash at the vine on Adam's face. A strange shrieking noise came from deep within the sandpit. She struck again, continuing until the vine disappeared. As more of the pair was exposed, she went for the other vines. Finally the last vine released his ankle with a scream and a squirt of black fluid that grazed Rocky's shoulder, burning off the fabric of his shirt instantly. The human chain toppled over backwards, falling on top of one another.

They all laid still for several moments as they recovered their breath. Rocky clutched Adam tightly, refusing to let go. Adam didn't complain. They gasped for air, neither wanting to move.

"You guys okay?" Jason managed finally.

"Yeah," Adam rasped as they both nodded.

"Y'know, I could've sworn we've been in this position before ... " Rocky muttered. "Only I was the one pulling, and ***Aisha*** got to be the dust bunny."

At last everyone struggled to their feet. Rocky pulled Adam up, staring at him for a second. He gave a small, lopsided smile, and brushed some of the sand from his curls. Then he let go of his hand and startled to walk on.

Adam grabbed his arm, pulling him back. "Rocky ... " he trailed off. He reached up to brush the hole in the fabric on his shoulder. "Thanks." he whispered.

Rocky shrugged. "No problem."

Adam hesitated, then hugged Rocky abruptly. The taller boy blinked rapidly. "Adam?" he asked quietly.

"I ... " -( _I think I ... _)- "I can always count on you, can't I?" Adam murmured, mostly to himself.

Rocky gave another lopsided smile. "Of course. I'll always be there when you need me."

Adam looked up then, and his smile made Rocky's breath catch. "We need to talk. Later," he told him. Heart pounding, he reached for Rocky's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Rocky tensed. "Talk?" he echoed weakly.

"Yes." Adam's voice was still quiet, but firm.

There was another hand squeeze, and this time Rocky actually noticed. He stared down at their linked hands, stunned. What was ... what was this? What was going on?

"We have a lot to talk about," Adam continued, squeezing again when he knew that Rocky was paying attention. He fought to calm his racing heart, though the smile he gave his friend was warm and gentle. "We need to get to the temple, but later ... " He grinned slightly. "And you'd better not run."

Rocky stammered incoherently for several seconds before Adam laughed softly and squeezed his hand once more. "The temple?" he reminded him.

Rocky nodded slowly, still staring at their hands. Adam tugged him along with a faint smile, and he followed obediently. Too stunned to think, he let Adam lead him along.

As they managed to catch up to the others who seemed to have been moving slowly enough to give them their privacy, Rocky glanced sideways at his friend. -( _Whatever happens, something is going to change. Things can't be the same between us anymore, can they? _)- he mused silently.

And privately, he mourned.

* * *

"Hey, guys! I think we found it!" Zack cried from the front of the group. The others hurried to join to him, and found they'd reached a clearing in the forest. In the center was a beautiful stone temple.

Billy frowned slightly, still trying to lean more of his weight on Zack rather than Yasta, as Jason, Pahla, Rocky, and Adam at last caught up to them. "But how do we access the Temple?"

"Rocky, watch out!" Zack shouted.

He spun as Adam shoved him hard to the side, eyes wide as a burst of flame came at him, and threw himself to the ground. "Billy, you seriously need to start thinking about that be careful what you wish for thing!" he yelled.

"What was that?" Jason demanded.

A small orange fish surfaced in the pond Rocky had been standing near. It looked at them all, opened its mouth, and shot fire at the group. They scattered, dodging as it began to shoot at random people.

"What manner of creature is that?" Billy cried.

"A Flamefin!" Pahla called, rolling out of the way of another burst. "It's a fire-breathing fish native to this planet!"

"So how do we turn it off?" Adam shouted, flipping out of the fish's way.

"It only stops its attack when it feels its habitat is no longer threatened, or when it's eaten!"

"What does it eat?" Jason bellowed.

"Meat!"

"Wonderful," Zack groaned. "It must think we're it's next meal!"

He glanced at the fish as the other Rangers dodged. He frowned when he noticed it closing its mouth before it submerged, then waiting until it was out of the water again to reopen it. A thought occurred to him. He waited until the fish had just shot again, then jumped into the water after it, the sound of Billy yelling his name echoing after him.

Underwater, he found himself face-to-face with the fish. It blinked, then surfaced and spewed more fire. He charged the fish just as it was about to close its mouth. Throwing all his weight across it, he dragged it down into the water with him.

The Rangers stared in horror as huge bursts of steam billowed around the pond. The steam dissipated after several minutes, and the pond went still. Everyone stared, unable to believe Zack could be gone that quickly.

Pahla frowned as her senses twinged. Just as she started forward to investigate the pond, Zack burst out, arms waving wildly as he tried to stay afloat. She lunged at him, grabbing his wrists. Jason was quickly at her side, helping her pull. They heaved Zack up and onto the ground as he kicked at the tiny fish trying to bite his feet. Rocky and Adam grabbed tree branches to beat at the fish, knocking them back into the water.

When they were gone, Yasta hugged Zack tightly. "Zack scare Yasta! No scare!" She glared at him, her tail slightly frizzed and swishing.

"Warn someone when you have a plan," Jason agreed, kneeling next to them.

"Rangers are supposed to help one another," Billy told him with a frown.

Zack grinned weakly, giving Jason a weary salute. "Lecture heard and understood."

Yasta pulled away and helped him up, frowning when she saw his burned hands. "Zack hurt!" she wailed in dismay.

He grinned wryly at her. "Apparently Flamefins aren't supposed to be touched."

Jason was about to respond when the temple began to glow. As they all turned to look, the door opened and the stone tablet slid out. The pedestal began to glow, forming symbols. Pahla went to it, reading out loud.

"_Courage learns Cruelty, Fighter to Sorceress_

_Commander becomes Mercenary, Artist then Destroyer, Spirit turns Killer_

_Honor fades to Thievery, Healing gives Pain, Heart comes to Hate_

_Knowledge faces Betrayal, and Light turns to Darkness_

_The Rainbow falls Dark and uses the Power of Light to Energize_

_Chaos engulfs the universes_

_Many will fight the Dark Rainbow, all will fail_

_The Rainbow rules supreme_"

Pahla looked up to find everyone staring at her. "What the heck does all that mean?" Rocky asked.

She sighed. "I may only read the prophecy, not translate it."

"What good prophecy?" Yasta demanded, her tail lashing in irritation.

"The Rainbow falls Dark and uses the Power of Light to Energize." Adam recited softly, looking thoughtful.

Billy's eyes widened in realization. "That's what's already happened."

"What?" Rocky demanded.

"Red Rangers are considered to be the symbol of courage. Green is the fighter, Gold is the Commander, Black for the artist, White for spirit, Purple is the color of honor, Yellows are healers, Pink is the heart. Blue Rangers are knowledge. Knowledge faces - " he hesitated. "Betrayal, and Justin took the Power from all of us to re-energize their morphers."

"But how did Light ***turn*** to Darkness?" Zack asked, frowning. "Zhane was never evil, and he said his uncle wasn't either. Astronema always was."

Billy shook his head, admitting "I do not know."

"Chaos engulfs the universes. Many will fight the Dark Rainbow, all will fail," Adam murmured.

"But the Rainbow rules supreme," Rocky reminded him. "That means we win." He paused. "Right?"

"Most of this is the known prophecy," Pahla spoke up. "Not widely, but that can't be all of it. There must be more."

"Maybe that's for everyone else to find," Jason pointed out. He shook his head last. "We'd better get back to the Megaship. Zack and Billy need medical attention."

She turned to glare at him. "For that matter, so do you."

He grinned in spite of the situation. "Ah, I'm fine. Let's get going."

* * *

Astronema paused in the doorway of the Dark Fortress' recreational room. Zeus was sitting in a window, staring at his hands. She was debating whether or not she should leave him be when he spoke. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course."

"Why does this happen?" Black lightning crackled around his fingers as he talked. "I never had magic as a human."

"That's because you were human, then," she answered in a softer voice than it would have been for anyone else; she wasn't quite sure why. She closed the door, moving to sit across from him. "When you turned to the side of darkness, you were infused with magic, to make you something more than human."

"Do you have magic?"

She lifted a hand wordlessly, her own signature purple fire sparkling around it.

"Does that mean you were human once, too?" He kept his gaze on the star field outside the window.

"I don't know," she answered quietly. "I don't remember my childhood very well. I know I was raised by Ecliptor. He told me my family was killed by Power Rangers, and trained me to be the Princess of Evil. I've never ... remembered anything else."

"I remember everything," he whispered, closing his eyes. "I lived in Angel Grove, with my parents and my brother. My mother was the most beautiful woman ... kind, and gentle. Always smiling and laughing. She never raised her voice to us. She was like an angel. My father was strong and proud, and loved to take us all out to do things together. We didn't have much, but they loved us a lot. And my brother ... he was my other half. He took care of me, challenged me. He always had my back. He was my best friend."

He reopened his eyes as a hand squeezed his gently. Astronema was watching him with sympathy. "This is all I have of my family," she told him, touching the locket around her neck. "I don't know who it is, but I know they're important."

"I don't have anything," he replied. "I had ... something, once. But they took it from me when they sent my brother away. Someone said it wasn't healthy to keep it, and someone else said we'd probably stolen it anyway." His fist clenched.

He looked back to her as she squeezed his hand again. Their gazes met, and though neither said anything, they knew. This was a kindred spirit; someone who understood. Silently they vowed together to protect each other, to extract their revenge together.

Somewhere deep inside each of them, the last shreds of innocence cried out in vain.


	20. Jason and Pahla

Chapter 20:Jason and Pahla

"Pahla, I'm fine," Jason protested. "We have more important things to do."

Zack glanced over his shoulder as Yasta led him to another table. She'd dragged the entire group straight to Medbay the moment they arrived. "I'd listen to her, Jason. I don't think she'll take no for an answer," he called.

Pahla pushed Jason down on the medtable with a scowl. "Sit and behave," she ordered.

He grinned in spite of himself. "Yes, ma'am."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "D.E.C.A., medscanner please."

It appeared out of the wall with a soft beep, and she quickly ran it over Jason's wrist.

"What's up, guys?" Tommy asked, looking around as he entered the room. "Who called everyone in here?"

"We did," Jason replied. The rest of the landing party was being helped much the way he was, as Aisha and Trini had been in Medbay already with Kat when they'd come in. Yasta fussed over Zack, which was amusing mostly for the fact that half of what she said wasn't in English, and he couldn't understand half of the parts that were. Aisha angrily scolded Rocky and Adam as they snuck cautious glances at one another, and Trini gently helped Billy with his ankle. Kat was perched on a table in the back, watching them all silently.

"Did you find the prophecy?" Andros asked.

Pahla told everyone about their adventures with Dulcea and the trials of Phaedos. The rest of the group added their own minor commentaries occasionally, usually receiving a brief stare in response. She recited the prophecy again for them, leaving most of the group confused.

"But most of that's what we already knew," Zhane sighed, looking irritated. "Where's the rest of it?"

"Dulcea asked us to send everyone to her," Jason spoke up, deciding not to mention how she'd worded it. "The next group will probably get the rest."

"So she gave you all Spirit Animals?" Trini frowned. "I wonder why."

"Destiny," Yasta told her, smiling brightly when everyone looked at her in surprise. "Phaedos destiny planet. Make things happen must happen."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence.

"So what now?" Aisha asked.

"We must follow Dulcea's instructions and complete the prophecy," Pahla told her. "Another group must descend to Phaedos to be tested and discover more of the prophecy's clues."

"We can be one group," T.J. suggested, gesturing to himself and the other Astro Rangers.

Tommy nodded in agreement. "Litania, why don't you stick with them to even things out? The rest of us'll be the other group. That way there won't be too big a crowd for Dulcea to deal with."

Litania nodded as well. "Your group should go first. If all of you former Rangers are supposed to find these Animal Spirits, the sooner you all have them, the better off we'll be."

* * *

Pahla entered the Simudeck silently, more than ready for a chance to take out some frustration on a training simulation. "D.E.C.A., Icindra Ice Land Training Mode," she called, dropping her robe on a hook by the door. She was dressed in her traditional training clothes; similar to a tank top and shorts as they were called on Earth. She straightened her headband and stepped out into the training area as it formed into the icy mountainous peaks of her home planet.

She waited patiently, eyes closed. The wind shifted behind her, and she lashed out with a vicious kick. There was a squalling noise that could only come from the Kricta, a sign that she'd hit her target. A whisper of fabric caught her attention, and she struck with a hard punch, followed by a high kick to her immediate left. Soon she was lost in a flurry of attacks, her eyes remaining shut as she trusted her senses to guide her.

"I give, I give!" her opponent wheezed as she knocked them to the ground.

She opened her eyes and blinked at the sight of Jason laying at her feet, hands raised in surrender. "You shouldn't have interrupted my training session," she told him, though her heart skipped a beat as she silently thanked the Power she hadn't really hurt him. She kicked outwards, striking another Kricta. "D.E.C.A. stop training mode." The simulation faded, leaving them in the black and green grid that covered the Simudeck.

Sighing, she offered Jason a hand up. He accepted, and allowed her to pull him to his feet. "You're amazing," he told her. "Where did you learn to fight like that?"

She raised an eyebrow. "With my eyes closed?"

He laughed. "No, I mean your fighting style. I've never seen anything like it."

She smiled slightly. "It's a difficult style, but highly regarded on my planet. It's called _Usha_."

"_Usha_?"

"It means 'flowing strikes'," she explained. "The basic principal is to never stop your movements, to make them flow like water."

"Could you show me?" he asked.

She smiled. "Only if you promise to teach me your 'karate'."

He grinned. "Deal."

"D.E.C.A., Dojo Training Mode," she commanded. The grid shifted to a plain Earth-style dojo. "Now watch what I do."

* * *

Pahla and Jason had been training for a couple hours when Andros appeared in the doorway, looking unusually solemn. "Pahla, may I speak with you?"

She glanced at Jason.

"Guess our training session's over," he said with a slight grin.

She smiled faintly. "Thank you. I enjoyed your lessons."

"Same here. Mind if we do this again later?"

"I would like that," she told him. As she followed Andros, her mind drifted to the memory of moving Jason's arms to show him the correct position. She wondered absently if he realized she didn't have to be so close to show him.

Andros led her out and down another hallway, checking to make sure they were alone. Her brow furrowed at his seriousness. "What is it, Andros?"

He hesitated. "D.E.C.A. picked up a transmission earlier. From the Orin Galaxy."

She froze.

"It was from the Red Taeo Ranger. He said Icindra had been attacked by the Dark Red Ranger."

"And the people?" she asked, her voice steady.

"Enslaved."

"The Taeo Rangers?"

"Defeated."

She nodded, then turned.

"Pahla. He said for you to stay away. He said it was more important that you find a way to save everyone than to go charging back."

She whirled, glaring at him. "That's my ***family***, Andros! I can't leave them!"

"I know," he said softly. "I know better than anyone what it's like. But you're not turning your back on them. You're going to get them help."

Her fists clenched.

Andros hesitated again. "He also said ... Ligel was gone."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Gone?" she repeated hoarsely.

He nodded reluctantly. "They don't know what's happened to her. The others said they lost her when they tried to run."

She nodded slowly, and turned to walk away.

"I know it doesn't mean anything, but I'm sorry," Andros called. "And I swear to you, we will free Icindra, and find her."

"If there's anything left to free," she replied quietly.

She wandered through the halls in silence, avoiding anyone she sensed approaching. She wasn't in the mood for conversation. After awhile she stopped by a window, staring out into space. Her precious Ligel was somewhere among those stars, but only the Power knew where.

She leaned against the wall, a deep, shuddering breath racking her light frame. An icy tear slipped down her cheek.

"Pahla?"

Her head snapped up, eyes drying instantly. She whirled to see Jason watching her, looking concerned. "Yes? What is it?" she asked, her tone cool and composed.

He reached out to touch her cheek, brushing the tear free. He looked at it, blinking, and his eyes widened. "An ice crystal?" He looked at her again worriedly. "Pahla, what's wrong?"

She looked away. "It's nothing."

She glanced up at him again as his hand touched her arm. "Please, talk to me," he told her softly. "I want to help you."

"You can't," she answered, her voice nearly cracking. "There's nothing anyone can do."

"I can listen, can't I?" he replied. "We can deal with it together."

She stared at him, wanting to believe in his sincerity. At last her eyes closed. "The Dark Red Ranger attacked my planet," she whispered. "He defeated my team, and enslaved my people. Now my brother says for me to stay away, even though they need me. And Andros says my daughter is missing." She leaned against the wall again, struggling to keep her tears in.

There was a long pause as Jason digested this. "Your daughter?" he managed at last.

She nodded unwillingly. "Our people were nearly wiped out during a great war, decades ago. As a result, a law was passed that everyone must have a child by a certain age, to keep our population growing. All of the Taeo Rangers have children. They spend most of their time as a group, and would have been together when the Dark Red Ranger attacked. My Ligel was with them, but she was separated from the others during the attack. They don't know where she is." She sighed quietly as she felt Jason's aura constrict. "Please don't think that way."

"What do you mean?"

"I can sense your aura crackling from here." She turned to look up at him, wincing inwardly at the controlled expression on his face. "Jason, my people do not hold much stock in Soul Bonds. All the government cares about is creating strong people who are receptive to the Power. I never chose to become a mother. When I didn't find a mate, they sent the police after me. The man who fathered Ligel died in a raid several months later. Ligel is all I have."

He frowned. "Why are you so concerned about what I think?"

She actually smiled then, a soft, gentle smile. "You know why, Jason."

He stared at her for a moment, then pulled her into his arms. She hugged him back tightly, and he rested his chin on her head. "I'll help you find her. I promise," he vowed.

Tears sparkled in her eyes as she leaned against him. "Thank you, for understanding."

"I'm not so sure I do. But I know I care about you, and that I don't like to see you cry."

She reached down, interlocking their fingers, then glanced up at him as he watched her. She smiled at him as tears still shone in her eyes. It wasn't fair, to find her Soul Bonded in the midst of all this horror. "You're the one I came searching for, the one I was destined to be with. The Power blessed me with you, Jason. _Nowat_."

"_Nowat_?" he repeated softly, his eyes gentle.

"I believe in your language, it translates along the lines of 'I love you'."

"_Nowat_," he murmured, leaning down to kiss her.

Their auras shone a brilliant red and white, the cord between them glimmering brightly.


	21. Inner Discoveries

**Author's Notes/:** I had to take today off due to some sort of back injury I somehow gave myself in my sleep -Shifts in her chair and winces- so I decided I'd be impatient and go ahead and update this again. Hey, what else do I have to do when I can barely move my left arm away from my body?

I mentioned this in the first massive 'Credit Where Credit is Due' warning in the first chapter, but just in case here's another: Kat's spirit animal here coincidentally matches Jeremy Ray Logsdon's Earth Crystals, so I'm giving him credit since he wrote it first.

Also, more mentions of non-graphic attempted rape.

Chapter 21:Inner Discoveries

The next day, Tommy, Kimberly, Trini, Aisha, Kat, Tanya, and Vengi teleported down to Phaedos in flashes of light. They looked around uncertainly. Jason had confessed that no one really knew where they were going before, that Dulcea had found them.

Kimberly looked up at the sky, searching for the spaceship she couldn't see. A fist clenched over her heart as she bit her lip. It had taken a lot of convincing from Pahla and Trini for her to leave Cassie, and she still didn't like it. It was only the fact that Cassie had reluctantly admitted that it made sense for her to go with her own team that she'd agreed.

-(_Please be safe_,)- she begged silently. Cassie reminded her so much of herself years ago, when she'd just arrived in Florida. Cold and alone, her heart aching and confused by everyone around her ...

A hand squeezed hers and she looked up, startled. Trini gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. "She'll be okay, Kim. Ashley and Pahla will be there for her," she said softly, her voice too low for anyone else to hear.

She returned her smile hesitantly, trying to convince herself to believe the other girl's words.

"So what do we do? Just start yelling 'Hey, Dulcea! Jason said you wanna talk to us!'?" Aisha asked skeptically.

Tommy shrugged. "Hey, Dulcea! Jason said you wanna talk to us!" he shouted.

They all stared at him.

"I was kidding, Tommy," Aisha informed him.

"Anyone else got a better idea?" he returned, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Dulcea!"

"Go back to wherever it is you came from!" a voice ordered.

They all spun to see a cloaked woman standing on the cliffs above them. Tommy stepped forward, bowing deeply as Pahla had warned him to. "We don't mean to intrude. Jason and the others said you wanted to see us."

Dulcea looked at him sharply. "You are of the ones who seek the Prophecy? Zordon's Children?"

"Yeah." He really ***hoped*** they were. "We're the second group. There's one more after us."

She sighed. "I suppose the sooner this prophecy is fulfilled, the sooner I may have my peace and quiet. Follow me."

* * *

"Within each of us is an Animal Spirit, waiting to be released," Dulcea informed them. "As each person possesses that spirit, we also have a Color of the Morphin Grid that guides and protects us. To wield both Spirit and Color simultaneously is to access a level of Power that can never be taken away."

"How do we find them?" Aisha asked softly. All of them had been taken in by Dulcea's solemn and mysterious nature as they gathered around the fire she'd build for them on the plateau.

"Stand before me."

As one they stood, adjusting to give themselves enough space for whatever Dulcea had in mind.

Her gaze swept over them. "To know the level of the Power that I speak of is to know yourself. You must go inside yourself and face your own darkness. As you accept the darkness that lies within in your heart, as it does in all hearts, you will find the purest form of Light and goodness in your soul. That is the Power you will need to face the Dark Rangers." She reached for the ashes. "Now close your eyes, and look deep inside."

* * *

Tommy didn't know what he was expecting when he went to find his spirit and Color. Whatever it was, it wasn't a maze. Yet that was what he found himself in, a maze with walls that shifted between green, white, and red.

"Great," he grumbled to himself. "My mind really ***is*** as messed up as everyone says it is. No wonder I can't remember anything."

The walls shifted to green, and a movie began to play on the section in front of him.

- _"I want those useless Power Punks destroyed!"_

_"Yes, Empress." He looked up at Rita Repulsa, his honored leader. He would serve her until the day she allowed him to die in battle, a warrior's death. That was all he wanted in life._ -

He shook his head. "I'm not the Green Ranger anymore!" he insisted, glaring at the wall. "I'll do whatever I have to prove that!"

The wall turned red, showing another movie.

- _"I shall destroy all the Power Rangers! For your evil deeds against my Machine Empire, you will pay!_ -

"I don't think so!" he retorted confidently. "That was a trick by Gasket. The Red Zeo Ranger was never really evil, and I ***never*** hurt my friends that day!"

Now the walls were bright white, and the movie that played made him flinch.

- _What did he do? Wasn't he good enough? Didn't he treat her like she was special? Because she was, she was the most beautiful, amazing girl in the world. He'd done everything he could to tell her how much he loved her. _

_Was it because he was still a Ranger, and the world came first? All she had to do was ask, and he would resign. Just to be with her again. No one else mattered as much as she did - except Jason, of course. _

_Was that it? Because Jason was his brother? Did she want him to chose? Please don't make me chose between you ... _-

He blinked away the tears that welled in his eyes. This movie wasn't so easy to deny. It was made of thoughts he'd already had the day he'd gotten The Letter. It asked questions he still couldn't answer.

At last he bowed his head, shaking it slowly. "I'll always love Kimberly, no matter what," he said quietly, fighting to keep the grief from his voice. "And I love her enough to respect her decision. I just want her to be happy. I'll never chose between her and Jason. I love them both. If ... " His voice cracked, and he swallowed. "If they can't accept that, I'll love them anyway. I won't chose one over the other."

After a moment, the walls turned red again.

- _He should have known better. He should have watched him better. First Jason and Kimberly, the people he loved so much, and now Justin. Why didn't he stay in touch? Why didn't he talk to him, make sure he was okay?_

_This was all his fault. As the leader who trained him, Justin was his responsibility. He should have talked to him more, offered to listen more, __***done***__ more. He was supposed to protect the innocent, damn it! Why couldn't he protect the most innocent of all?_ -

He looked up again, eyes narrowing. "I ***will*** save Justin," he growled. "Even if I have to do it without the Power. I won't let him down again! I won't let there be any more evil Rangers!" Distantly, he knew he was shouting. At what he didn't know. But he ***would*** keep this promise.

- _"Justin ... I don't understand - why ... ?"_

_"Because you killed my mother."_

_"Murderer. When your brain stops glowing, try remembering the name Melissa Stewart, and what you did to her you bastard!"_ -

The memory of those words made him pause. "You're wrong, Justin." he whispered, pain and grief filling his eyes. "I've never forgotten that name."

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself as more names from the list he'd memorized so long ago came to mind. "I'll never forget any of those names. And I'll never stop fighting evil for them," he continued quietly.

Somewhere beyond the maze he could hear a car horn honk. He smiled at the sound. "Red Lightning ... " he sighed. The first Zord he'd ever helped to make. It was an awesome car, and he'd never forget how it felt to drive with it.

But T.J. had driven Red Lightning too, hadn't he?

A bird cried now, a strange noise like none he'd ever heard in nature. That made him smile, too. "Phoenix Zord," he identified. He'd been so strong as the Red Zeo Ranger. Nothing had stopped him.

The movie of Gasket's brain drain played again.

He frowned. "That wasn't real," he insisted again. "Maybe I wasn't the perfect leader. I tried to be! That's all anyone could ask of me!"

A powerful roar in the distance.

"Tigerzord," he mused. "The White R - Thunder Ranger." He remembered the day Zordon had given him that honor. He'd been so scared, so afraid that he wouldn't be worthy of becoming this new Ranger. He'd loved being a Ranger again, but when he was willing to be honest with himself, he'd never liked being the White Ranger.

A screeching roar instinctively made him smile again. "Dragonzord."

The walls were green again, but the movie they played wasn't memories of the Evil Green Ranger. It was sparring with Jason, flirting with Kimberly, Billy trying to help him work on his horrible memory, Zack making him laugh, and Trini teaching him about one of the legends she was so fond of. All of them together, laughing and teasing.

He was smiling in these memories, he realized. "I wasn't always the Evil Green Ranger, was I?" he asked softly. "I was the Green Dr - Dino Ranger, too. I ... I had them."

The green walls brightened as he mused aloud. "White Ranger was to prove I could be worthy of Zordon, worthy of being a Ranger. Red Zeo I had to be a leader when I wasn't sure I could do it. And Red Turbo ... that wasn't me. That was necessary." His eyes widened abruptly. "I'm not White or Red. I'm Green?"

The walls seemed to shine in response, and another bird called. This one however, came to him as the maze crumbled away. Now he was surrounded by green light, Dragonzord, Tigerzord, Phoenix Zord, and Red Lightning in the background. A falcon came towards him, landing on his forearm as he raised it instinctively. The bird gazed at him, its stare intense.

"Green Falcon," he said aloud, understanding now.

The falcon trilled, the Zords screeched, and for the first time in as long as he could remember, Tommy felt whole.

* * *

The field of pink that surrounded Kimberly was warm and inviting. She wasn't sure she ever wanted to leave. Here she was safe. Here there would be no enemies to use her to hurt others, no friends she couldn't bring herself to face. Here there was nothing but peace.

_- "Tommy?" she called, walking up the stairs to his room. "Sorry I didn't call first, but your Mom said I should just go on up - "_

_She froze in the doorway of his bedroom._

_Tommy lay in bed, wearing only boxers. Kat was cuddled against his side covered by a sheet, looking up at him adoringly. He flashed her the smile that had melted Kimberly's heart from the moment they met. After a moment, Kat seemed to notice they were being watched and looked up almost lazily. She nudged Tommy, making him glance up at her._

_"Oh. Hey, Kimberly."_

_She stared, shaking hands coming up to cover her mouth as tears welled in her eyes. "Tommy ... I ... why?" she whispered._

_He shrugged. "You were fun for awhile, but seriously Kim. Come on. Without you here, I had to find someone else."_

_"W - why Kat?" The tears were falling freely now. "Why did you have to chose her?"_

_"Kat?" he looked puzzled. "Who said anything about Kat?"_

_"I think you're seeing things, Kim," a familiar voice informed her. To her horror, Jason sat up on the other side of Tommy where Kat had been. Like Tommy, he wore only boxers and seemed quite comfortable where he was._ -

Here there was no worrying of Tommy abandoning her for Jason or Kat.

Here there was no Tommy ...

She opened her eyes, uncurling from the ball she'd found herself in. Here there was no Jason, Zack, Trini, Billy, Rocky, Adam, Aisha, or Kat. There were no friends who needed her. There was no way to save Justin and bring back the sweet, gentle boy she'd met. Here she couldn't help Cassie, couldn't make Ashley smile, couldn't giggle with Trini, couldn't laugh at Zack's jokes, couldn't pry Billy away from his experiments long enough to eat.

Here she couldn't tell Tommy she was sorry.

Her fists clenched. "They are my friends," she repeated to herself. "No matter what happens between us or what they may think of me, they will ***always*** be my friends."

- "_Sleep, my child. Help is coming._" -

Her eyes went wide abruptly. "That wasn't a dream. That was ... Zordon?"

She reached instinctively, trying to find the place where the words had come from. She pushed love and concern, praying for Zordon to hear her. There was no response, and she bit back tears.

A familiar call came from within the pink haze, and she found herself looking up to a crane as it hovered in the air before her. She smiled slowly. "I think it's time to go kick some butt, don't you?"

The crane gave a soft trill, and she laughed. "***Especially*** Tommy's!"

* * *

In the wake of giving up her Power, Trini had been lost. She'd struggled for a way to find herself again. In all those meditations, she had found her way here, to the soothing calm Yellow of her inner soul. She knew what she was looking for. She'd found her already, after all. All she had to do was call, and she would answer her. But could she?

She'd betrayed the Rangers, giving her Power to their enemies. How could she fight alongside them after that? How could she call herself a Power Ranger? How would she ever look Zordon in the eye when they found him?

- _"Everyone breaks, child. This one fought long and hard, with the most delightful screams. She resisted me, but now she is my perfect doll."_ -

The Yellow around her seemed to pulse, and her eyes narrowed. "No. I won't give up. I won't leave her to that fate. I'll save them all."

An angry hiss came from beside her as her Spirit Animal joined her. "In the name of the Wildcat, I vow to save Justin, Spectra, and Zordon!"

* * *

Aisha's mind was busier than she'd expected. She flashed through several areas filled with knowledge of medicine, veterinary medicine, martial arts, and various quirks of her friends. The proper way to fix a second-degree burn was - Rocky bit into a paper plate once and actually swallowed it before she and Adam had managed to catch his attention - bears were gentle creatures who hibernated during the winter -

"Hold it!" she shouted.

The activity abruptly stopped, the golden yellow around her dulling. Almost immediately she was assaulted with memories.

- _The other girl was advancing, saying such horrible, hateful things. Her temper broke, and she attacked. She was wrong! None of it was true! She'd stop her from saying that, prove her wrong!_ -

She shook her head. "Knock it ***off***!" she growled, greatly resembling her Spirit Animal. "So I put others before my problems? There's nothing wrong with that! I just want to know that my friends are safe!"

The yellow dulled further, turning an ugly olive.

She sighed. "I ***need*** to put my friends first," she admitted softly. It was hard to say, even in the privacy of her own mind. "When I'm scared, when I don't want to deal with things, I need to make sure everyone else is all right, so I don't have to think about it. When I hurt Tanya ... " she trailed off. "I know I couldn't help it. I ***know*** that. It wasn't my fault, and it wasn't her fault. But it's hard to accept that I just attacked one of my friends. I'm supposed to protect them, not hurt them!" She slammed an angry fist into her palm.

A roar sounded, echoing around her. The Yellow seemed to brighten again.

"I'm not going to give in. I'll talk to Tanya. But I won't quit now. I have to help my friends. I won't let the Dark Rangers get to them!"

The Yellow flared, turning a much brighter shade, and the roar echoed again. "I'm the Bear, and I'm Orange!" she declared confidently. "Mess with my friends, and you're gonna get hurt! Kicking evil butt is my specialty!"

* * *

Kat hugged her knees to her chest as pink fog drifted around her. She shouldn't have come here. What good was she going to do? Her parents were disappointed because she wouldn't work hard enough, Rita was most certainly eager to try and turn her evil again, her friends only kept her with them out of pity. Why had she bothered to let them bring her to Phaedos?

- _Kimberly, pale and weak, giving her a warm smile from a hospital bed. -_

_- Tommy, grinning and applauding as he caught her dancing. -_

_- Aisha bringing her to the veterinary hospital where she was working, eager to share her interest. -_

_- Rocky making her laugh as he inhaled his lunch, innocently protesting that he was hungry. -_

_- Adam patiently demonstrating the move she was trying to learn once again. -_

_- Billy helping her study, always explaining as simply as he could to try and help her understand. -_

_- Tanya's shy, grateful smile as she took her shopping for the first time. -_

_- Jason giving her a grin as she trotted in from the beach with her surfboard, teasing that she looked like a drowned rat. -_

_- Zack encouraging her that yes, she __***could***__ do this, and she'd make all the other dancers jealous when she did. -_

_- Justin seeming so small and vulnerable, looking up sharply with a suspicious glare as she came near him._ -

Her friends ...

But what could she do to help them? She didn't ... she couldn't heal them the way Trini and Aisha did, couldn't provide information like Billy, tell them about space like Pahla, couldn't comfort them like Kim. What was she supposed to do?

Something glimmered in front of her, and she looked up to see a shining butterfly perched on her knee. She smiled sadly, reaching out a finger. To her surprise, it fluttered up to perch on it.

"I could be there."

She bit her lip. She could be there for them, just by being there. But what if ... what if they found out about what had happened? What if they knew how she'd failed to protect herself?

Tears welled in her eyes as the butterfly's wings twitched slightly, and an image came to life before her.

- _Her eyes shot wide with a shriek of fear, and she struggled desperately to get away. "Rocky! Help me!" she screamed._

_She was forced to the ground, Tearrah leering over her as she screamed and tried to get away. She tried to focus, searching for something to save herself from what was about to happen. She never saw the silver aura that flared around her, flooding the room with blazing color and intertwining with the brilliant white Rocky had summoned. Tearrah screamed and tried to cover her face as the pure Light energy seared her hands. She stumbled back to the door, leaving both teens unconscious on the floor._ -

Kat stared. "I didn't ... she ... she didn't touch me?"

The butterfly's wings twitched again, sparkling.

She smiled at it as the tears began to fall, this time for pure joy. The silver of the butterfly's wings glowed brighter, as did the world around her. "I'm Silver," she said quietly. "The Light. The Silver Butterfly."

She admired the butterfly now, giggling as it moved to perch on her hair. "I'll save you, Justin," she promised. "And then we'll go rescue Zordon. Together."

* * *

Nothing but darkness surrounded her. Nothing but emptiness, the way it was supposed to be. Just a vast expanse of nothing.

- _"Did you actually think you were good enough to take over for me? The Zeo Crystal could only cover for you for so long. The difference was just too great. You're pathetic compared to me."_ -

- _"Why did Zordon chose you? You wouldn't be a Ranger if Zordon didn't want you there. Obviously he saw something in you that I'm not seeing now. Was that what you gave the Dark Rangers?"_ -

"I didn't give it on purpose," Tanya whispered, tears sparkling in her eyes. "I didn't mean to ... I didn't want to hurt Aisha!"

- _"You're not a Yellow Ranger. Yellow Zeo, maybe. But definitely not Yellow in Morphin Philosophy. You're not a healer." _-

- _"Yellow Rangers are healers. If you were a healer, you'd be spending all your time fussing over everyone else instead of yourself. You're not a Yellow."_ -

"I'm not a Yellow Ranger." The tears were falling freely now. "Zordon must have made a mistake. I'm not a Yellow Ranger. I'm not supposed to be a Ranger."

She didn't see the darkness beginning to creep up over her.

- _"It's not my fault she's acting like a spoiled _aket_. If she's that much of a coward, I don't see why she's even still here. And it's definitely not my fault she isn't Yellow."_ -

Her eyes narrowed, and her fist clenched. "I am ***not*** spoiled," she growled. "And I'm ***not*** a coward!"

- _"Why did Zordon chose you?"_

_"He didn't. Aisha sent me to bring the Zeo Crystal in her place. I wasn't chosen - just there."_

_"That's _shisight_. You wouldn't be a Ranger if Zordon didn't want you there. Obviously he saw something in you that I'm not seeing now. Was that what you gave the Dark Rangers?"_~

"I didn't ***give*** them anything," she said louder, gritting her teeth as her temper flared. "I didn't hurt Aisha because I wanted to. It wasn't my fault! I'm not pathetic, and I'm not Aisha! I'm my own person! I do the best I can, and that's all anyone can expect from me!"

She started abruptly, staring down at her clenched fist. It was glowing softly with purple light. "Purple?" she said incredulously. "Okay, so I'm not Yellow. But ***Purple***?"

- _"Purple is the Color of honor, often for guards or royalty, though several of them have been reformed thieves."_ -

She continued to stare at her fist. "Honor. I guess I can live with that." She hesitated, laying her chin on her knee. "But ... what good can I do if I go back? I'm not strong like Aisha. I'm not smart like Billy, I can't cheer everyone up the way Rocky does, and I don't know the first thing about medicine."

- _"We're gonna stick together ... for now and forever. Through sun and stormy weather ... we're gonna stick together."_ -

"Stick together," she murmured. She lifted her head back up, firming her chin. "Stick together." she repeated. She sang the second line of the chorus automatically. "Through sun and stormy weather, we're gonna stick together."

A soft squeak at her side made her glance down. She blinked. "A mouse?"

The tiny creature sat up on its hind legs, staring at her. It was of all colors, bright purple. It squeaked indignantly before lowering itself back down.

A faint smile drifted across her face, and she reached down to offer it a hand. It crawled on instantly, and she raised it to her face for a better look. "I'm the Purple Mouse," she mused, then chuckled softly. "And Adam complains about being the Brown Frog?"

She never saw it coming.

"Ow!"

* * *

Vengi looked around himself warily. There wasn't much to see; just an endless ocean of black. He raised a hand cautiously, reaching out to test how far this 'blackness' went. His hand hit an invisible barrier before he'd even fully extended his arm, and he froze. Swallowing a wave of anxiety, he carefully reached out the other arm, only to find the same result. The fear was growing now, and he tried to fight it back.

He gasped for breath as he realized distantly he was beginning to hyperventilate. No. No more walls. Not again. He couldn't handle this again. He was free! He didn't have to go back to her ever again! She couldn't do this to him! She was gone, he was free, this couldn't be happening-

-( _"What are you doing?" _)-

He blinked, looking up slowly. A semi-transparent image of Litania was standing in front of him, hands on her hips as she looked annoyed. "L-Litania ... ?" he murmured weakly, still struggling to breathe through his fear.

-( _"You _nirc'la_. Off on some great mission, and the first thing you do is have a panic attack. Do we have to go over all this again?" _)-

"Again ... ?"

She tossed her curls as she always did when she was irritated. -( "_She's gone, Vengi. You escaped her years ago. She can't touch you anymore." _)- She crouched down, her tone suddenly gentle as she reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. -( _"You're stronger than this. You endured her for thirteen cycles and never gave in. You've never let this fear stop you from doing what was needed before. Why are you starting now?" _)-

He stared at her for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Never give in. Never let her win," he murmured. It was an old mantra, but it had saved his sanity far too many times. The calm light began to return to his eyes at last as his breathing finally steadied. "I'll endure. If only to see the look on her face, I ***will*** endure."

She smiled at him. -( _"That's my boy," _)- she teased affectionately as she faded away.

In her place formed an incredibly large, dark creature. It merely looked at him, its eyes inquisitive. After a moment of studying him it lowered its head, offering one of its massive horns. He reached for it automatically, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. Once standing, he leaned against the creature, stroking its side gently. "I am the Black Bison," he murmured.

A thought occurred to him, and he frowned. "Why is my conscience ***Litania***, the queen of corruption and chaos?"

* * *

Dulcea frowned as she watched the Rangers before her. It was not as easy for this group as it had been for the last. For a moment, Tanya and Vengi's auras had wavered, darkening. She found herself holding her breath in worry despite her resolve, and slowly relaxed as the warm glow of the Power began to shine through them all. At last their eyes opened, and she approached the young girl to her right.

"Aisha. You are the Bear. Fierce and unstoppable. Your true Color is Orange: bold, strong, and protective," she told her with a smile, receiving a confident grin in return. This was one who had found her center at last.

She moved on to the next, and was pleased to see that she was finally able to meet her eyes for the first time since they'd met. "The Butterfly is the symbol of the soul, the sign of goodness and purity. You are doubly blessed, Katherine, to serve as Silver, the Color of Light itself, and be guided by this sacred animal."

To her further delight, Kat blushed, but still did not look away.

The next girl was calm and quiet, but the fire of determination burned in her eyes. "Trini. You are graceful and sure, dangerous when provoked. You remain calm and level-headed when others need you, just as any Yellow should. The Wildcat proudly claims your spirit."

Trini smiled in return, but Dulcea was well aware that this was not news to her; the mind of this girl was strong.

"Purple is a unique Color, Tanya," she announced as she moved on. She hid a smile at Tanya's scowl. "It is the Color of honor, for those who both uphold it and use it to their own advantage. Your Spirit Animal is just as unique; the Mouse may seem to be quiet and small, but even the smallest creature can move the mightiest of obstacles."

"Are Spirit Animals supposed to bite?" Tanya grumbled back, nursing a finger.

Dulcea chuckled. "The Mouse is also very proud and sensitive."

The boy before her now showed no trace of the fear that she had nearly seen overwhelm him. She studied him for a moment. She was not a White, but her status as Guardian gave her the ability to read something from the boy's soul she would not have expected. "Vengi, you are a master of words, just as I would expect a Black Ranger to be," she said at last, her smile warm and knowing. His eyes flickered downwards in embarrassment for a moment, then went back to meet her gaze. "Your spirit is as calm and enduring as the Bison."

The petite brunette made her heart ache in memory of another sweet girl in Pink, but she couldn't help returning the excited and friendly smile. "Agile Kimberly, light as a feather. You are the Crane. Your heart is a powerful gift for any who are blessed with its love. You are a true follower of Pink."

Kimberly blushed, and Dulcea moved on to the last before her heart could truly break.

"And you Tommy, are the Falcon. Winged lord of the skies. You are truly a warrior, preferring to fight on the front lines of any battle and protect those around you. You are Green."

She noted the concerned and uneasy glances Kimberly, Katherine, and Trini shot in his direction, but Tommy didn't seem fazed. There was a sense of peace about him that hadn't been there before, and she smiled again at one who shared her Color.

"Congratulations, Rangers. You have found your center. To know the Spirit Animal that guides you as well as the Color you serve under is a powerful resource. Trust in that Power, just as you have trusted in Zordon's wisdom." She saw the ache and longing in their faces, and gave them her most reassuring smile. "Have faith. You will find Zordon, just as you ***will*** solve the prophecy. Zordon believes in you, and so do I." She was not surprised to see that they seemed somewhat reassured. "When you return to your friends, send the last of them to me. You will need all the strength you can find against the Dark Rangers." Her eyes darkened as she shed her human form, and vanished into the wind.

There was a moment of silence as they all contemplated her words. "Tommy?" Kat spoke up at last, looking hesitant. She started to take a step toward him, and paused as he turned to look at her.

He was smiling.

"We should get some sleep," he told them. His smile widened slightly at her startled expression, and he actually winked at her. "We've got a long hike tomorrow."

Everyone settled down reluctantly, some still marveling over how calm Tommy seemed at the announcement that he was Green, the Color he'd gone so far out of his way to avoid being identified by. Others pondered the strangeness that was their own minds, or wondered what dangers they would face on their journey. One faced away from the rest, hiding the tears that welled in her eyes as she remembered the warm smile that had not been directed at her.


	22. Second Journey

Chapter 22:Second Journey

The morning began as early as Tommy had promised, much to everyone's dismay. They headed out into the morning sun, pausing only to find fruit that seemed edible for breakfast. Tommy lead the way, Kimberly trailing after him silently. Trini followed them, frowning at the silence between the pair. Vengi was at Tanya's side as usual, a fact she no longer seemed to mind so much. Kat and Aisha brought up the end of the line as they chatted happily.

The landing party been walking for awhile when Tommy paused in mid-step. "Did you guys hear that?"

Everyone stopped to look at him oddly. "Hear what?" Tanya asked suspiciously.

"Something's wrong," he repeated. "Something's coming."

"I don't hear anything," Kat said hesitantly.

Kimberly kept her eyes on Tommy. "What do you think it is?" she asked softly. "What should we do?"

He closed his eyes, frowning as he tilted his head. She didn't touch him, watching and waiting for him to figure it out. She knew he would. It wouldn't have been the first time Tommy had sensed something bad about to happen, and it wouldn't be the first time he'd saved her from it because of that sense.

His eyes snapped open wide. "Climb!" he yelled, running to the nearest tree. He scrambled up a few feet into it as fast as he could, pausing to look back and reach out for Kat, who was the closest, and yank her up with him.

The others followed warily. "What is it?" Trini called.

"A heck of a lot of water!"

"You mean a flood?" Aisha frowned. "But there's no water anywhere near here."

"Climb, drown! Pick one!" Tommy snapped back, pushing Kat higher and reaching for Tanya.

Kimberly caught Aisha's arm, squeezing slightly as she nodded. Aisha looked skeptical, but followed Tommy.

Though confused, they followed Tommy's directions, pulling themselves into the highest branches of the huge tree. They'd only just made it when they heard the sound of rushing water. It came without warning, flooding the jungle. The water swelled until it reached the branches they clung to.

Kat hugged the trunk of the tree, eyes shut tight as she prayed for the flood to end quickly. Trini had only managed to get her arms around her branch, feet dangling in the water as she clung for dear life and struggled to pull a leg up. Tommy and Kimberly had managed to link their arms as they clung, neither pausing to think about what would have been an awkward situation otherwise. Vengi and Aisha had clamped around the same branch, with Tanya hanging on to the one below them.

A branch suddenly slammed into Tanya's wrist. She screamed as she lost her grip, reaching out blindly. Aisha grabbed her arm, gritting her teeth as she pulled the other girl with all her strength. Vengi caught Tanya's other arm as she neared him, and pulled her close. Together he and Aisha held on as the current pulled at her, trying to break their grip.

After what seemed like hours, the water began to slow, and dried up as though it had never been there. Cautiously, they began to climb down. When their feet finally touched the ground, Trini sank to her knees in relief, murmuring a soft thank you to whoever was listening.

Kat knelt beside her, concerned. "Are you all right?"

"Too high," Trini returned quietly, trying to calm her shaking body.

Kat gave her a hug, rubbing her back gently in reassurance.

Tommy dropped the last few feet, reaching up to carefully lower Kimberly. Their eyes met as he set her down, and both froze. "Thanks," she said at last, her throat suddenly dry.

"No problem," he returned.

After a moment they both realized he was still holding on to her and broke apart, blushing faintly.

Tanya looked at Aisha as she got down. "Thank you," she told her, eyes shining with gratitude.

Aisha glanced up absently, dusting herself off. "Hmm? Oh, no big deal. I mean, we're friends, aren't we?"

Tanya stared at her.

Aisha just continued to smile, brushing away the last of the leaves she'd been attacked by.

Tanya's eyes suddenly felt moist. "Yeah," she said at last, smiling back. "We are."

Aisha gave her a grin, reaching out to squeeze her hand, then focused her attention on the injured wrist Tanya hadn't really noticed yet.

A hand squeezed her shoulder. "Thank you, for protecting what is precious to me," Vengi murmured in her ear. "I owe you."

She kept her gaze on Tanya's wrist, trying not to let the other girl see her grin widening.

* * *

Kat shrieked and ducked as something dove at her head.

"Kat, what is it?" Tommy called in alarm as everyone turned.

"Birds!" Aisha cried, pointing up.

"Birds?" Trini echoed.

She nodded. "Really ***big*** birds!"

A large bird, about the size of a vulture, came swooping down to try and knock Tommy over. It was horrible to even look at; oily feathers falling out in clumps to expose peeling skin. The eyes were sunken in and appeared to be rotting. Long, wickedly curved black talons grew from a single claw. The entire bird smelled of dead flesh and rotting meat.

It was also not alone.

"Scatter!" Tommy shouted.

The tried to follow his directions, but the birds were relentless. They dived in groups, tearing at hair and clothing. It was hard to tell what they wanted as they herded the teens into a group one moment, then drove them apart the next.

"What do we do?" Tanya cried, rolling to one side as a bird grabbed for her hair.

"There has to be someway to get rid of them!" Vengi put in. "Something to drive them away!"

Kimberly froze, and was swiftly pulled under a tree by Tommy before she could be hit. She looked up, trembling slightly as she realized what she would have to do. Only love would drive away fear, and only she could do it.

Tommy, misinterpreting her shivering, squeezed her shoulders and pulled her closer. "Don't worry, Kim! I've got you!"

She looked at him, startled. "Tommy ... "

"Look out!"

They dodged, Tommy crying out as one managed to catch his shirt. He twisted away, leaving a large hole in the back as the fabric finally ripped free. The bird screeched angrily at him for the escape.

Her resolve firmed. "Cover me!"

"What?"

He grabbed her as she started forward and she turned to stare at him. "Tommy, please! Trust me!"

For a moment they just gazed at one another, her eyes pleading and his uncertain. Then another pair came at them, and he shoved her away. "Do it!"

She stumbled, catching herself as she moved to the center of the area. She forced herself to look up at the flock, selecting one particular bird to focus her attention on. One of its eyes was falling out of the socket, and its right side looked like it had been bitten into, exposing several layers of rancid, decaying flesh.

"Decay," she whispered in sudden realization. "Death." These birds were dead, their spirits unable to find peace. The must have been pretty once she decided, noting the dull, sordid purple colors.

A tear slid down her cheek. Poor things. It wasn't their fault they couldn't rest.

That one bird turned on a wingtip, heading straight toward her.

Kimberly took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and projected all the sympathy and love in her heart at the bird.

There was a shrieking cry, and she began to project further, spreading her feelings to the rest of the flock. -( _Don't be afraid! _)- she called silently. -( _We won't hurt you! _)- They shrieked again, and she let her sympathy overwhelm her. -( _Someone loves you! _)-

The cry came once more, almost questioning now, and she smiled. "I do," she assured them. "It's not your fault this happened. You're only trying to protect your planet. I still love you."

There was a moment of absolute silence. At last she opened her eyes to find that one bird perched on a rock in front of her. It stared, gaze intense.

She merely smiled. She understood now. There was nothing to be scared of about these birds. They were lost souls, hurt and betrayed. Just as Tommy had been once, and later Kat. Maybe not for the same reasons, but the principle was the same. "Hello, pretty bird," she called softly.

"Kim?"

"They're hurting, Tommy," she answered. "They just want to find peace." She turned pleading eyes to Trini. "Isn't there anything you can do for them?"

Trini hesitated. While it was true that she had a strong connection to the Yellow Power and had for some time, she'd never attempted to really use it before. But Yellow ***was*** the color of the healer, and these birds obviously needed help. One look into Kimberly's eyes, and she knew she had to try. "I'll do my best," she promised.

She closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing, and shut out all distractions. It wasn't particularly difficult; she seemed to have been cursed with noisy roommates over the years. She went to the place in her mind that always glowed with soft yellow light, allowing that light to fill her being.

Now she pictured the bird that had landed to stare at Kimberly, trying to see in it what Kim apparently had. But all she could see was decaying flesh and oily feathers. The empty-eyed glare wouldn't fade for her; she just didn't think like Kim.

-( _Start from the beginning,_ )- she instructed herself. In her mind, the patches of bare skin were once again covered. The greasy look disappeared and was replaced with soft lavender feathers, whole and unbroken. The rough skin of the battered claw was smoothed, the overgrown black talons trimmed and polished. Sunken and empty eye sockets became large, piercing blue eyes. The broken parrot-like beak was repaired to a glistening shade of obsidian. Now she moved inside, mending and restarting organs that had long since stopped working.

Her task finished, she stepped back to admire the new bird as the Yellow around them both flared outward. -( _Kim was right,_ )- she thought. -( _It is pretty._ )-

Then she swooned and fainted.

* * *

Trini awoke to find her friends all leaning down over her and smiled. "You do know that you're supposed to give an unconscious person plenty of room," she couldn't resist reminding them.

Aisha smiled wryly. "I tried. They wouldn't listen."

Kimberly promptly threw her arms around Trini and burst into tears. "I'm sorry!" she wailed. "I didn't mean to make you do so much!"

"Congratulations, Trini.," Vengi commented. "You just resurrected an extinct species."

"I did?" she asked in surprise, holding on to Kimberly as she sat up cautiously.

He nodded. "The Esca Birds died out centuries ago."

"You just brought that entire flock back to life," Kat added, looking awed.

"That's not all. Look," Tanya put in, holding out her wrist. The swelling and ugly bruises had completely vanished.

"How did that happen?" Trini wondered.

Aisha shrugged. "All we know is that you were glowing, and then Yellow light sort of ... exploded everywhere. All the injuries everyone got in the flood were gone, and those birds were, well, once they looked better, all of them flew away except that one." She pointed to the bird that had yet to stop staring at Kimberly. It was now the same beautiful creature Trini had imagined it to be.

"I did all that?" she asked skeptically.

Kimberly nodded. "You were amazing," she insisted, the sincere tone of her voice making Trini blush.

"Yeah, you were awesome," Tommy agreed, the others nodding as well. He offered a hand to the pair, carefully pulling them to their feet. "We'd better get a move on before anything else happens." he sighed, flashing them both a warm smile.

Trini squeezed Kimberly's hand as Tommy moved ahead of them. "Are you all right?" she whispered, concerned.

Kimberly took a deep breath and forced herself to smile. "I'll be okay." -( _Someday ... _)- she finished silently.

* * *

The Esca Bird behind them spread its wings and took flight.

"Is that bird still following us?" Aisha demanded, hours later.

Kat glanced back over her shoulder. "Yup," she confirmed.

"What is it doing?" Tanya asked warily.

She looked again. "I think it's still watching Kim."

Vengi frowned. "Kimberly, Trini?" he called, turning to look at them. "What shade were the eyes of the Esca Bird you were looking at? Bright or pale blue?"

Kimberly frowned. "Bright, I think. Why?"

He sighed. "Because that means it's an Escarah, not an Escalli."

"What's the difference?" Trini wanted to know.

"Pale blue eyes are Escalli, which are female. Escarah have bright blue and are male." He sighed again as the bird swooped down toward Kimberly, startling her into instinctively raising an arm. To her surprise, he landed gently on it, turning his sharp gaze on the rest of the group. "Escarah are extremely territorial," Vengi finished.

There was a moment of silence.

"Are you saying that bird's got a crush on Kim?" Aisha said incredulously.

Vengi looked puzzled. "What's a 'crush'?"

Tommy scowled, heading towards Kimberly and the bird. "We don't have time for this. Go on! Shoo!"

The bird hissed as he waved his arms at it, leaning forward and snapping his beak in return.

"Stop that!" Kimberly scolded, frowning at it. "If you can't behave, you can't come with us."

"It can't come with us at all!" Tommy protested.

She gave him her best puppy dog eyes. She wasn't a master at it, but they had always served well enough to get her what she wanted. "But Tommy, he's not hurting anyone," she pleaded, then turned to the bird with a big, warm smile. "Are you?" she crooned.

Tommy had planned to put his foot down against her bringing that stupid bird, he really had. It would just cause more trouble than it was worth. But then she turned that smile and those eyes on him, and what he actually said was "All right ..."

Her answering smile made his heart flutter like it hadn't in years. "Did you hear that Prescott?" she squealed. "But you'd still better behave," she added warningly.

It squawked and fluffed its feathers, looking at Tommy with an almost challenging expression.

-( _Did that bird just smirk at me? _)-

Kat raised an eyebrow. "Prescott?"

Kimberly blushed slightly. "It just sort of popped into my head, but I think I like it," she explained sheepishly. She smiled at the newly named bird, reaching up to stroke his chest with the back of her hand. "Prescott likes it too, don't you?"

"Kim, you do know there's no way Andros is gonna let you bring him back to the Megaship," Aisha pointed out.

The other girl was too busy fussing over her new companion to answer.

Tommy sighed. "Come on, guys. Let's get moving again." -( _At least that stupid bird can't come with us when we leave_, )- he thought with great satisfaction.

He was acutely aware of the bird behind him, staring daggers into his back.


	23. Follow the Light

**Author's Notes/:** The manga Kat is talking about is called Cardcaptor Sakura. I highly recommend it; it's very sweet and funny.

Chapter 23:Follow the Light

"How long is this trip supposed to take?" Aisha groaned in frustration.

Kimberly stopped to look at her, a particularly odd movement when Prescott was perched on her shoulder, mimicking her annoyed expression. "Thank you. That practically spat in Phaedos' face and dared it to throw something at us."

Aisha shrugged, not looking the least bit repentant. "I'm a woman of action. If I have to walk past the same tree one more time, it better be ready to start pickin' a fight."

Instantly, everything vanished into darkness.

"Guys?" Kat called out warily. She'd found herself quite suddenly alone, completely surrounded by an infinite world of black. "Where is everyone?"

Silence answered.

Panic surged through her, and she struggled to suppress it. -( _That won't help now_, )- she told herself sternly. -( _Think. What seems strange about this? _)-

She frowned. Not that this whole situation wasn't strange, but something about it was irritatingly familiar somehow. Something someone had told her ...

"Maggie!" she cried aloud.

It wasn't long after she'd started working at Little Angel's Haven. The younger girl was reading some sort of comic that the other children were teasing her about being for little kids. Manga she'd called it, though she'd been annoyed because Kat couldn't pronounce it right. This one was Card-Catching Something. She'd asked her a few questions out of curiosity. Apparently in this one, the main character had lost her friends in a wave of darkness and discovered that she wasn't being sucked in because there was a light within her heart that fought it back.

She looked down at her hands. Sure enough, she was glowing. Dulcea ***had*** called Silver the Color of Light. Apparently she'd meant it in the literal sense.

Okay, she knew why she was still here. But how was she supposed to find the others? The girl in Maggie's manga had been fighting evil cards. She didn't know what was causing this darkness, but she was fairly sure it wasn't an evil card.

So maybe she couldn't fight the darkness itself. Did that mean she couldn't find her friends? Would they have to find their own way out?

- _"Katherine, you are Silver, the Color of Light itself. Silver is often a beacon in darkness for their team."_ -

Dulcea had said something like that. "A beacon, hmm?" she mused. Her eyes narrowed in determination, and subconsciously she glowed brighter.

She focused on Tanya, the one she knew best out of all of them. Her warm, bright smile, her energy and enthusiasm. Her wry sense of humor. "Tanya! Tanya, can you hear me?"

After what seemed like ages, the response was faint. "Kat?"

She found herself reaching out in the direction the voice was coming from. "Yes! It's me! Tanya, come toward the light!"

"Isn't that supposed to be a bad thing?" The amused voice was louder now.

She giggled in spite of the situation, nearly bursting into tears as she could see something coming toward her. She threw her arms around the other girl the moment she was visible, squeezing tightly as she shuddered and gasped for breath. "Thank goodness," she murmured. "I was so afraid I wouldn't be able to find you."

Tanya's arms came around her, hugging back gently. "Hey, it's okay. You did," she soothed.

Kat shuddered again. "I don't think I'm ready to handle being alone yet," she admitted softly.

"Yes, you are," Tanya insisted. "You figured this place out and brought me here, didn't you? You're doing great, Kat. I know you can get us out of this."

She looked up into Tanya's confident, trusting eyes and found herself smiling a little. "I think I'm starting to understand what's so great about Purples."

Tanya raised an eyebrow. "Care to share?"

Her smile turned impish. "Maybe later."

She tuned out Tanya's indignant "Hey!" -( _So Purple is loyalty_ ... )- she mused to herself before pushing the thought away. Now she focused on the bright warmth that was Aisha. Her wild enthusiasm, her power and strength.

"Whoever you are, you better be ready for a fight!"

She laughed as Tanya rolled her eyes beside her. "Aisha, it's me!"

A pause. "How do I know it's really you?"

"Do you have to pick a fight with everyone?" Tanya demanded, exasperated.

And then Aisha was there, looking at Kat in amusement. "Dang, girl. We gotta start calling you Glowworm."

She laughed again, reaching out to take her hand. "Just stay close. I'm not quite sure how this works, but it seems easier when I'm holding on to someone."

"Whatever you say, Glowworm."

Trini. She hasn't known the other girl very long, but she'd liked her instantly. Her tranquility, her inner peace, her gentle, reassuring smile...

"Wow, that was fast," Aisha commented beside her.

"Kat's getting better at this," Tanya told her.

"She's awfully bright," she heard Trini put in. "Will she be all right?"

Tommy now. One of her dearest friends. He was so protective and caring, so warm, so irritating sometimes ...

"Ow! Kat, do you think you could douse the light a little?"

"I don't think she can hear you. She hasn't been responding since she found Aisha."

Vengi. She didn't know him very well. It was blindingly obvious that he adored Tanya. He was very polite to them all, and so sweet and kind to her. They seemed to share the same sort of sense of humor, and judging by his relationship with Litania, he was just as loyal as she was.

A grunt of pain.

"Close your eyes," Tanya advised. "We're pretty sure she doesn't know she's doing it."

"I believe I may be blind."

Kimberly. She nearly faltered there. They hadn't exactly gotten off to a great start, and then she'd hurt Tommy ...

No. Focus on Kimberly. Her sweet smile, her trusting eyes and genuine offer of friendship. The way she made you feel special just because she was listening to you.

She knew she'd found her when a wave of gratitude swept through her. She couldn't help but smile at the feeling, even as she opened her eyes. Her friends had formed a circle, all but Kimberly with their eyes closed. She was turned, trying to look over her shoulder as she held on to Tommy and Vengi's hands. "Has anyone seen Prescott?" she asked worriedly, biting her lip.

Was it her imagination, or did Tommy's eye just twitch?

"Prescott?" Kimberly called. "Prescott, where are you?"

A shrieking call answered her as the bird emerged from the darkness and landed on her shoulder. He eyed her grip on Tommy's hand, then fluffed his feathers and nuzzled against her cheek. She beamed in relief, leaning in closer as he rubbed against her. "Thank goodness! I was afraid I lost you!"

"How did he get here?" Trini asked, pretending not to hear Tommy's almost inaudible "Darn."

"I don't know. When everyone else disappeared, he was still with me. He must have followed Kat's light to get here."

"I'm just glad everyone's okay," Kat spoke up at last. She swayed, quickly supported by Aisha and Tanya. "I don't feel so good," she murmured. She finally dimmed enough for the others to open their eyes.

"Can you turn off the glowing thing? That might help," Tommy suggested.

She shot him an irritated look. "If I knew what switched it on in the first place, I would." She winced almost immediately, feeling guilty for snapping at him. "Sorry."

"I think the next question would be 'how do we get out of here'?" Vengi suggested.

They all just sort of looked at one another for a moment.

"That way," Kat said suddenly, pointing slightly to her right. As if in answer, the soft glow surrounding her shone outward, making a path of light before them. She sighed. "Great. I've become a human flashlight."

Aisha grinned. "Could be worse. At least you're only Silver. Can you imagine if Tommy was the one doing this? We'd all go blind from the light show!"

Tommy glared at her as everyone else laughed. "Very funny."

Tanya and Aisha lifted Kat's arms over their shoulders, helping her along. Trini and Vengi quickly slipped to the front to lead the way, leaving Tommy and Kimberly to guard the group's backs. The pair worked in silence, shooting nervous glances at each other when they thought no one was looking.

"Kim?" Aisha called suddenly, glancing back at her.

She looked up, blinking. "Hmm?"

"I've been wanting to ask you - how did you know Tommy was right about the flood thing?"

She paused, glancing up at him. He hesitated, then nodded, forcing himself to smile. She reached out and squeezed his hand reassuringly without stopping to think about it. They stared at one another for a long moment, then slowly exchanged hesitant smiles. "Because it's not the first time he's done something like that," she said at last.

"Huh?"

She sucked in a breath, thinking. "Well ... " she said slowly. "I think the first time wasn't long after Tommy became the White Ranger. We were on a date, walking home from the park. Out of nowhere, Tommy just yanked me out of the road and tackled me onto the grass. I was about to yell at him when a car came flying by. If he hadn't pulled me out of the way when he did, I would have been hit."

Kat looked back at them, startled. "You mean you knew it was coming, Tommy?"

He made a face. "Not exactly. It's more like I knew ***something*** was about to happen. I just knew I needed to get Kim to move ***now***. With the flood, I knew it was water." He frowned. "After I thought about it, I had the feeling that there was a lot of water coming, and we had to get someplace high."

Kimberly nodded, squeezing his hand again. "It's not something he does a lot, but every once in awhile, Tommy always just seemed to know when something bad was about to happen."

Vengi turned back to them, looking thoughtful. "You're a visionary White, Tommy."

He blinked back at him. "I am? But I thought I was Green."

Vengi smiled slightly. "You're a Power Mesh, someone who holds the characteristics of more than one Color. You follow Green, but have enough Red and White energies within you to use either Color of the Power. Being that you are part White, you also fall under one of its categories. There is mental, psychic, and visionary. Being a visionary White means that you possess Foresight and Post-cognition. Pahla had informed us earlier that your Post-cognition had been activated, but your Foresight must also have been enhanced by Lady Tearrah's assault." He fell silent abruptly, uncomfortable.

Tommy was quiet for a moment, then suddenly made another face. "Great," he sighed. "I actually have to ***thank*** one of those Dark Rangers for something."

Tanya raised an eyebrow at him. "Thank them?"

He looked up at her, seeming surprised. "Well, yeah. If she hadn't made it stronger, I wouldn't have known to get everyone to safety."

Kimberly smiled slightly. -( _He always was so overprotective,_ )- she sighed to herself, though the thought was warm and affectionate.

"I see something!" Trini called suddenly.

Everyone tensed. Kimberly didn't realize it, but she still hadn't let go of Tommy's hand. As she tensed, she squeezed it tighter. Tommy glanced down at her in surprise, then slowly smiled a little. He shook his head quickly, turning his attention on what lay ahead. On Kimberly's opposite shoulder, Prescott gave Tommy another fierce glare.

They slowly emerged from what seemed to be a tunnel and found a stone temple before them. The sunlight shone behind it, making the temple seem to glow. The peaceful atmosphere around the temple itself had them all relaxing instinctively.

"We made it," Tanya breathed in relief.

As if to answer her, the temple opened, and a stone pedestal slid out. Vengi stepped forward, and the pedestal glowed softly. He began to read aloud.

"_Purest hearts to prove their worth, Darkest hearts with Tainted Power_

_Power of the Many to the Chosen_

_Ranger against Ranger, friend against friend, love against love_

_Four Keys of Salvation and hearts destined to be, to draw back the Power of Light_

_One Light Lost brings two Lights Gained_

_Many Bonds broken, both sides will Lose_

_Truth and Love reawaken the center_

_The Rainbow rules supreme_"

"Chosen?" Aisha frowned. "Now we have to find some Chosen?"

Trini looked worried. "Many bonds Broken, both sides will Lose," she repeated softly.

"I don't like the sound of this part," Kat murmured.

Kimberly shivered, nodding in agreement as she unconsciously moved closer to Tommy. He automatically wrapped an arm around her. "We should head back."

She sighed, turning to look at Prescott. She smiled warmly at him, though her eyes were suspiciously shiny. "A spaceship is no place for a sweet, beautiful bird like you, Prescott," she told him, finally letting go of Tommy's hand as she reached up to stroke the bird's crest. "You need room to fly free. Thank you for staying with me. I'll miss you." She lightly kissed the top of his head, coaxing him onto her arm. Then with a swift toss, she threw him into the air. Immediately, she turned to bury her face in Tommy's shoulder. "Let's go." Her voice was slightly choked.

Tommy hit the button on the communicator T.J. had lent him as they all gathered close and held on to one another, and the world dissolved into light.

He missed the streak of purple that shot towards them at the last minute.

* * *

"I don't believe this!"

"Kimberly - "

"I didn't bring him!" she protested. "He must have tried to land on my shoulder again as we were teleporting."

Prescott settled his wings as he perched on said shoulder, fixing everyone on the bridge with his bright stare.

Carlos looked at him warily. "We'll have to send it back."

Prescott hissed and snapped his beak at him, then cuddled against Kimberly's cheek again.

T.J. blinked. "It almost seems like it understands what we say."

He immediately found himself on the receiving end of another intimidating stare, followed by an indignant squawk.

Andros pinched his temples. "That's because Esca birds are said to be hyper-intelligent. He ***does*** understand what he say."

Zhane seemed highly amused by the whole thing. "Looks like you've found yourself a new bodyguard, Kim. I don't think he's going anywhere."

Any protest she was about to make was interrupted by a soft crooning noise from Prescott as he cuddled her again.

"Prescott ... " she said weakly, looking at the bird. "You can't ... This isn't a good place for you."

The bird raised his head, meeting her eyes with his bright stare. They looked at one another for a long moment, then he crooned again, followed by a soft chirp. He stretched his tail feathers and settled himself more comfortably on her shoulder.

She looked at Andros helplessly. "I didn't ... I didn't mean to," she tried.

"I know, Kimberly," he sighed.

Zhane grinned. "It's not your fault he thinks you're beautiful."

She blushed, glancing at her apparent new pet. He crooned again in response, fluffing his feathers once more. She smiled in spite of the situation and stroked his crest gently. "You're hopeless," she sighed.

Unnoticed, Tommy gave the bird a dark stare. -( _This isn't over yet, you stupid pile of feathers_. )-

"Did you find the rest of the prophecy?" Litania asked, hopping up to sit on the console next to T.J. as she entered the bridge. She ignored Andros' glare and grinned at the sight of the bird on Kimberly's shoulder. "Why Kim, are you becoming an Ipari?"

"Ipari?" Tanya repeated, raising an eyebrow as Zhane snickered.

"It's a type of space pirate," the Silver Ranger explained, trying to fight down his laughter.

"He followed me home?" Kimberly offered weakly.

Litania chuckled, then raised an eyebrow at Kat. "Do you know you're glowing?"

Kat sighed. "Apparently I'm a Silver Ranger. I don't know how to shut it off."

Zhane immediately gave her a warm smile, coming over to wrap an arm around her shoulders. "It takes practice to control, but it's totally normal," he assured her. "Imagine a switch in your mind, and turn it off."

She close her eyes dutifully, cautiously reopening them after a few minutes. "Is it gone?" she asked hopefully.

He chuckled, squeezing her slightly. "Once you get the hang of shutting it off, it'll only happen when you're really emotional," he promised.

She looked up at him. "Did this ever happen to you?"

"Did it ever!" he laughed. "I spent the first three cycles of training glowing like a street lamp! It took Uncle forever to coach me through controlling it. But then, I had other things on my mind at the time." he confessed, looking slightly sheepish.

"Not to mention the attention span of a _Rau_," Andros said dryly.

Zhane stuck his tongue out at him.

T.J. smiled. "I think you've spent a little too much time on Earth, Zhane," he teased. "I know that's not a KO-35 gesture."

"What's a _Rau_, anyway?" Carlos wondered.

"A small insect," Litania answered him, smirking. She held up two fingers about a centimeter apart. "This big."

Tommy smiled in spite of himself, shaking his head. It was good to see everyone finally starting to relax with each other. "As soon as we get this new part of the prophecy into the computers, I think we should all head to bed," he suggested. "It's been a long day, and Dulcea is waiting for the rest of you tomorrow."

Andros nodded in agreement. "We'll need all the rest we can get."

"Should be an interesting trip," Litania murmured, grinning to herself.


	24. Connecting

**Author's Notes/:** Kat's necktie reference is credited to Ellen Brand's Personality Conflicts Series #23: Straight on 'til Morning.

Chapter 24:Connecting

- _"You heard your orders. Don't hurt the boy. Do whatever you like to the girl."_

_"You promise?"_

_"__***After***__ we do this, okay Tearrah? Then you can play with her to your heart's content."_

_"Goody! Get them, Piranatrons!"_

_"Rocky, look out!"_

_"Rocky! Are you okay? What happened?"_

_"I ... I don't know."_

_"Rocky! Help me!"_

_"Kat!"_

_"Let me go! Leave her alone!"_ -

Rocky shot up, gasping for breath. His head hit metal and he winced, bringing up a hand to touch the injury. "That hurt," he muttered to himself, his voice hoarse. "Way to go, genius." He wasn't surprised to find that his face was wet when he lowered his hand.

He laid back down again with a sigh, only to roll over onto his side a moment later, staring at the wall less than a foot from his face. The crawlspace he'd found was barely big enough to fit him, but it was a good place to avoid someone. But that was him, wasn't it? Always hiding. Hiding his feelings, hiding from his family, his friends ...

He sighed again. The second group had just come back from Phaedos, and Ashley had told him that Kat was looking for him. He wasn't ready for this. He didn't want to face her, face what had happened, what he hadn't been able to protect her from. Facing her would make it real, just like facing Adam would make admitting his feelings real. He wanted to pretend that nothing had happened. If that meant putting things off as long as possible, then that's what he'd do.

That's when he'd found this place.

"Useless coward," he murmured. Saying it didn't make him feel any better.

A sudden whirring noise startled him. He sat up quickly, banging his head again in the process. Wincing as he put a hand to it, he looked around for the source of the noise.

He was rewarded with a face-full of air.

* * *

Rocky muttered darkly to himself as he tried to brush the dirt from his hair. He wasn't upset that he'd hit his head three more times when he tried to escape the stupid crawlspace. He wasn't upset that D.E.C.A. had flushed the ventilation systems. He ***was*** upset that she hadn't bothered to make sure they were clear before she did it.

"Rocky?"

He paused, swallowing hard as he recognized Kat's voice. "Yeah?" His throat felt dry.

She giggled, reaching over to tussle his hair. Another trail of sand drifted to the floor. "Vents clean?"

"Yeah."

She sighed. "Rocky, look at me."

He looked up as slowly as he could possibly manage. He didn't want to see. He didn't want to see that she was -

Smiling.

Her smile warmed. "I just wanted to thank you, Rocky."

He blinked. "Thank me?" he echoed. "But ... I couldn't ... I didn't ... I couldn't help you," he said weakly.

She shook her head, still smiling. "I found out on Phaedos. My vision? My spirit animal showed me. Tearrah never touched me. She was driven back by White and Silver light."

His eyes widened. "What?"

She nodded, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "You did protect me, Rocky. You helped me right when I needed you the most."

"But then she didn't ... you weren't ... and you're ... ?"

She laughed. "She didn't, I wasn't, and I'm fine." Her smile was sweet. "Thank you."

He blinked again, not quite sure what to say. "Uh ... you're welcome?"

Her eyes sparkled as she let go of his hand. "Now, have you talked to Adam?"

He winced. "No."

She put her hands on her hips. "Why not? He said he wanted to talk to you, didn't he?"

He stared at her. "How did you know that?"

"Zack told me. But that's not the point. Why haven't you talked to him?"

He looked away, feeling uncomfortable.

"You two have been a team for a long time, haven't you? That's not going to change, and no one wants it to. You rely on each other too much," she persisted. She sighed when he still didn't answer. "Rocky, we're your friends. We're not going to stop caring about you just because you love Adam. Love doesn't just stop. We all care about you, and we want you to be happy."

He didn't know what to say to that, so he said nothing, only nodding. He couldn't bring himself to tell her that sometimes the people who care about you don't care for your happiness anymore when it interferes with their principles. She didn't need to know how he'd already found that out for himself.

She turned him around and gave him a light push, making him stumble forward. "Now. Go talk to him." She winked at him when he glanced back over his shoulder at her. "And don't forget the necktie!"

He turned bright red. "K-Kat!"

She laughed. -( _And thank you Zack, for finally explaining that to me_. )-

She watched as he walked away, waiting until he was gone. Then she looked up at the camera above her and smiled. "Thanks for bringing him out to me, D.E.C.A."

"You are welcome, Kat." There was a pause. "What reference does 'the necktie' make?"

She grinned. "It's something in Earth culture. When a couple wants to spend private time alone, they take a man's necktie and wrap it around the doorknob as a signal that the room they're in is occupied."

There was another pause. "I see."

She laughed. "It's an Earth phrase, D.E.C.A. Don't worry about it."

* * *

She lay on the bunk she shared with Kimberly, staring up at the ceiling. Her best friend shifted beside her, whimpering in her sleep. "Tommy ... "

Trini sighed quietly, wrapping an arm around Kimberly and pulling her closer. She stroked her hair gently, watching as the other girl calmed, but continued to frown in her sleep. She wanted to help, to ***make*** Tommy and Kimberly see how much they still loved and needed each other, but she knew that forcing them into it would never resolve anything.

Her thoughts began to drift to Spectra. There was something about her that the Power wanted her to see, something that it was trying to tell her. Something about Spectra wouldn't leave her alone. She wasn't sure if it was because they shared a Color, because Spectra had taken energy from her, or another reason entirely.

- _She found herself surrounded by soft yellow mist that drifted gently around her ankles._

_"Why are you here?"_

_She turned, startled into a defensive stance._

_A few feet away from where she stood, a young girl was perched on a rock, facing the opposite direction. She hugged one knee to her chest, allowing the other to dangle as she started into the distance. Something about her pose seemed melancholy, but resigned._

_"I don't know," Trini answered her honestly. "Something brought me here."_

_"You __***and***__ the Power should keep out of others' business," she muttered darkly. "What I've done is no one's problem but my own!"_

_Trini paused as realization dawned. "Spectra?"_

_"Go away!"_ -

Her eyes snapped open.

* * *

Tanya watched Vengi as he observed Litania and T.J. in silence. He shook his head as she nearly knocked the poor boy over, sighing. "Something wrong?" Tanya asked softly, not wanting to startle him.

He glanced at her. "At times I find Litania's antics ... agitate me."

"Why?"

He hesitated.

"You don't have to tell me if it makes you uncomfortable," she assured him, even as she found herself wanting to know more about the quiet Gold Star Ranger. They'd been spending time together, because for some reason he seemed determined to do so. Now that she wasn't brooding so much over the fight with Aisha, it was usually in companionable silence. She wasn't sure what to say, and he never seemed to need to offer.

He shook his head. "I don't mind. It's just that ... someone of her stature should behave with more decorum. Ainatil would be appalled."

"Her stature?" Tanya repeated, confused. "And who's Ainatil?"

He sighed softly. "Litania is a Purple Ranger. On our planet, Power Rangers are representatives of the ruling class. Ainatil is Secondary Purple, of the Silver Star Rangers."

Tanya looked at him blankly, and he suppressed a smile. "Are you sure you truly want to know?"

She actually paused to consider, then nodded. "I want to know more about you," she told him.

He stared at her for a moment, then suddenly reached out to touch her cheek. "Why?" he whispered, as their faces drew closer.

"I don't know why," she answered softly. "Something about you just makes me want to know you. To be near you." She lowered her eyes, but didn't turn away from his hand. "I don't understand any of this, but ... I think I may be falling in love with you. I just met you, but somehow I feel like I've found something I didn't even know I was looking for."

She found him lifting her chin, and was startled by the tender look in his eyes and affectionate smile. "Zordon never told you very much about Soul Bonds, did he?" he asked.

"He never said anything." Her eyes were caught in the silver gaze, and she couldn't look away, couldn't bring herself to say anything but the truth.

"Soul Bonds are created between Rangers, so that they will never be alone," he told her gently. "It is the Power's way of protecting its children, to ensure that we are happy."

"That's what Pahla said."

"Pahla was unable to put into words exactly how the Soul Bond works. It's difficult to explain, but I'll try my best." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "A Soul Bond is said to be made by the Mystic Purple Ranger. The Mystic Rangers watch over all Rangers, to see that what must happen does. In the case of Mystic Purple, she's what Litania has referred to as the 'Ultimate Matchcreator'."

"You mean matchmaker?"

He nodded. "She's the one who chooses which Rangers will be Bonded to one another. When the Bond between them is made, it ties their souls together, their hearts. One heart will recognize the other on sight, and there's no reason that heart will ever be rejected. It's simply unthinkable." He stroked her cheek gently. "That confusion you feel is your mind refusing to believe your heart has found its other. My heart was meant for yours, and when you were in danger it called me to your side. Even though I was unable to help in the way I would have liked, I was glad to be there. It pains me to think that I won't be unable to remain at your side forever, but when this war is finished, I must protect my home galaxy."

She could barely breathe at the intensity of emotion between them, electrifying the air. "And when you pass on your Power?"

"I'll journey straight to your side, and remain there for all of my days."

Tears shone in her eyes for reasons she couldn't fathom, and for the second time in her life, she ignored her rational mind and listened completely to her heart. It was that action that had made her believe Aisha, and brought her to become a Power Ranger. Now it was what gave her the most intensely simplified emotion surging through her. She leaned forward, kissing Vengi gently. As he responded, the kiss grew passionate, and she immersed herself in the sensations. When they finally pulled away from one another, she stared at him, struggling to find her breath, let alone any words to communicate what she was feeling. "I love you," she gasped out, though it seemed like a pitiful description for the pure emotion coursing through her.

He smiled at her, his eyes shining with more feelings than she cared to identify. "And I you."

A silly, love-struck grin was crossing her face, and for once she found she didn't care. This was beyond anything she'd ever thought she felt for Shawn or Adam, or in her entire life. It was so perfect the part of her mind that was still functioning screamed at her it was wrong, nothing could be this wonderful. Her heart downed it out, and she leaned against Vengi with a contented sigh. "So about Litania, and Ainatil?"

He wrapped an arm around her. "Our people are born in pairs. Each pair has the same name, but in a different way. My name is Vengi, while my brother's is Ignev."

"Vengi said backwards. So Ainatil is Litania's sister?"

He smiled. "Yes. And as our people share names, so do we share the Power. Litania and I are of the Gold Star Team, which protects the Satra galaxy where our home planet is located. Our leader is the White Gold Star Ranger. There is also a second team, led by a Red Ranger, which uses the pair of our team's morphers. For instance, Ignev is known as the Secondary Black Ranger, because he uses the second black morpher. Ainatil uses the Secondary Purple morpher. Their team, the Silver Star Rangers, protects Gannos itself, for the situations when we can't leave another part of the galaxy."

"That makes sense," she agreed, nodding. "But what about Litania's stature?"

Their gazes drifted to where Litania had tackled T.J. to the ground, and was now straddling the Blue Astro Ranger. The poor boy seemed terrified, while Litania simply grinned, leaning down to taunt him. This put her breasts directly in his face, making him nearly the color of his leader's uniform.

Vengi sighed. "You won't believe it," he warned.

"Try me," she challenged.

"That," he nodded to Litania, "Is the High Princess of Direl, one of the regions of Gannos."

Tanya blinked. "Litania's a princess?"

"Unfortunately."

"But she's so ... "

"So I'm aware."

"Oh." She considered. "That makes three Rangers I know that are royalty."

"It's not so uncommon," he agreed. "To be a Power Ranger requires a pure and unselfish heart. Many royal leaders possess that quality, that desire to protect their people before themselves. For that matter, the Silver and Gold Star Morphers of Gannos are specifically given to members of the ruling class. Each region has two morphers. The Silver Star morpher goes to their eldest heir to keep them on the planet while they protect it, while the younger heir receives the Gold Star Morpher to protect the entire Satra Galaxy."

She blinked again. "So you're a prince?"

He smiled slightly. "Essentially. However, being the younger heir means that I have no political power unless my brother either dies or abdicates the throne." He looked thoughtful, watching Litania laugh at T.J. as he scrambled back several feet. "Litania is unusual. She should have the Silver Star Morpher, being the High Princess, but for some reason was chosen by the Gold Star. She never cared much for learning to govern, although she does possess the ability to be a leader. Surprisingly enough," he added dryly.

She laughed, studying him. "You love her a lot, don't you?"

His face softened just slightly. "No one would think it, but she is my best friend. I care for her as much as I do you, in a slightly different way."

She had to smile at that. "Believe me, I'm not jealous," she promised. "After that kiss, I don't think I could be."

He eyed her, a sudden twinkle in his eyes she hadn't noticed before. "I should remind you, just to be sure," he decided.

Then he was leaning down, and all she could do was immerse herself in the love she felt that was so profoundly deep she couldn't put it in adequate words. Somehow, she knew it didn't matter. It was Zordon's gift for making her a Power Ranger. And Zordon, she'd found, was almost always right.

* * *

Kimberly glanced up at the knock on the door of the room she shared with Cassie and Trini. "Come in!"

The door slid open as Kat stepped inside hesitantly, only to pause and stare with wide eyes. "Kimberly ... your ***hair*** ... "

She blinked and glanced down at the long strands. "I haven't had much time to get it cut lately, with all the training I do. Mostly I just keep it in a bun to get it out of the way," she explained. She started brushing it again, suddenly uncomfortable.

"It's as long as Trini's." Kat looked awed.

"Not quite, but almost," she agreed. She glanced back up at her. "Yours looks good short."

She smiled slightly. "Zack dared me." She reached up to brush it behind her ear self-consciously. "I decided I rather liked it."

Kimberly's smile was wry. "That's Zack for you. Always trying to get people to do what he thinks is best." She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts and looked back up at her again. "What did you need?"

Kat fidgeted slightly. "Well, this may sound silly," she warned. "It's just ... " She sighed. "I've been spending all this time with Tanya and Aisha, and talking to Rocky, and getting to know Trini, just trying to rebuild old friendships. And I realized that ... you and I were never really friends. First I was just the girl trying to steal your Power Coin, and then you were the one that hurt Tommy." She flushed in embarrassment. "I don't think I even spoke to you once on the way back from Miranthius. I was hoping to change all that."

Kimberly blinked again, then reached out to squeeze both of Kat's hands and pull her down to sit on the bed with her. "Kat, we ***are*** friends," she insisted. "You were never just the girl trying to steal my Power Coin to me. If that was true, I never would have given it to you in the first place." She bit her lip. "And as for Tommy ... " She sighed, looking down. "That's complicated."

"Why?" Kat asked softly. "I know it's not really my place, but ... Why did you ... ?"

"I don't know if I can explain this very well." She reached up with one hand to touch her heart. "Leaving Tommy ... it hurt. It more than anything I've ever felt. And no matter what I tried, I couldn't stop what I was feeling. I was worried about him, scared of him getting hurt with me never knowing. I couldn't handle it. I missed him so much that Coach actually sent me to therapy for depression." She forced herself to look Kat in the face, her eyes filled with shame. "My therapist tried to convince me that love didn't mean being so infatuated with Tommy that I could barely function. He was kept trying to get me to let go of him. And then ... " She swallowed hard. "He asked me if there was anyone in Angel Grove who could take care of him. And I thought of you. That's when the jealousy started. I couldn't stop thinking that if Tommy hurt as much as I did, I could give him to you so that you could stop his pain. That you were my perfect replacement."

Both girls had tears in their eyes now. "Kim, I don't ***want*** to be your replacement," Kat told her. "I could never be you. Tommy tried to make me out to be that at first, because he wanted you so badly. I don't want that sort of relationship. Tommy is my best friend, and that's all he'll ever be for me. I did try for something more," she admitted, "But he was driving me crazy!"

Kimberly giggled a little, a faint smile on her face.

"I don't see how you could possibly deal with him," she added. "He's so overprotective and clingy!"

"Because he needs someone to protect," Kimberly said quietly. "It's part of what keeps him from losing himself. I don't like pretending to be a damsel in distress; that's not ***me***. But Tommy needed me to be."

"Then you're a lot stronger woman than I am," Kat told her seriously. She studied her for a moment. "When are you going to talk to him?"

She took a deep breath. "When I can get the courage to," she admitted. "It's going to hurt him, and I don't want that. I know it doesn't seem like it, but I've never ***wanted*** to hurt Tommy."

"You're not that kind of person," Kat agreed. "But you need to settle this. For both of you." She paused. "You're still in love."

Kimberly's face reddened. "I am not!" she protested weakly.

Kat smiled slightly. "I meant you're ***both*** still in love. I watched you together while we looked for the temple. You're still in love with each other."

Kimberly dared a hesitant glance at her. "Do you really think he'll forgive me?"

Her smile widened. "I don't think he was ever really mad in the first place." She eyed her for a moment. "Of course, as one of his best friends, I must give you the warning."

Kimberly grinned, her eyes still a bit teary. "If I ever hurt him again, you'll destroy me," she recited dutifully.

Kat nodded, looking serious. Then she smiled. "But I'll help you corner him first," she offered.

Kimberly giggled. "I'll definitely need the help!"

They both paused to look at each other. "Thanks, Kat," Kimberly said softly.

"Anytime," Kat assured her with a smile. "After all we are friends, aren't we?"

Kimberly's answering smile was just as warm. "Of course we are. As women who've had to deal with Tommy, we need all the support we can get!"

* * *

"You're avoiding him."

He closed his eyes. "I know."

"You could track him down if you really wanted to."

He nodded, swallowing hard. "I'm ... "

"Scared?" Her voice was suddenly soft, and he felt arms wrap around him from his right. "Adam, it's okay to be scared. I'd say you were being stupid if you ***weren't*** scared."

"I just ... I don't know." he whispered. His voice was threatening to crack; he could feel it. He didn't like being this emotional. That was what Rocky was -

"I don't know," he repeated, cutting off the thought.

"Don't know how to handle it?"

"Don't know ... " he swallowed again. He was nearing the point of no return now, and it terrified him. "How I ... how ... "

"How you feel?" she asked gently.

He nodded again, unwilling to say the words.

There was a long silence as he leaned against Aisha in the darkness of her room. He'd come to see her suddenly, just as she was going to bed. Kat and Tanya had never followed, and he wasn't about to question why. He was just grateful for this moment of peace with someone who could understand. Someone who probably knew him and Rocky better than they knew themselves.

"I knew," she told him suddenly.

He didn't move, completely unsurprised.

"I figured it out ... about when we were thirteen," she mused. "I saw Rocky watching you one day. And all of a sudden, it just ... clicked. I knew he was in love with you. The more I looked, the more I could see it. But you weren't ready to know. Rocky could see that, too. And you two are too important to each other for him to want to lose that. Him being actually gay, though ... ***That*** was a surprise." She humped, still annoyed by the thought of Rocky keeping something from her.

He rested his head against her shoulder, sighing as she reached up to hug him tighter. "It can't be the same now," he whispered. "No matter what I do, everything's changed. I'll never be able to look at him and just see my best friend."

She sighed now. "Adam, you - "

"Think too much," they finished in unison.

She smiled slightly. "Do you know why I waited to tell you?"

"Because I'm still not ready to know."

"Yeah. But that's just because you're scared. You already know your answer. You're just afraid of it."

He shut his eyes again, fighting the familiar burning sensation he couldn't seem to get rid of these days. This whole situation had left him frighteningly emotional, and it was driving him crazy. "I don't ... I don't want ... " He bit his lip, and forced it out at last. "I don't want to lose him!" he blurted. "And now ... no matter what I do, I still lose ***something***! It's not ***fair***!" He choked on the last word, nearly sobbing.

She hushed him, rocking him back and forth as she soothed him. "Rocky's never going to abandon you Adam," she murmured. "He loves you too much. As your friend, ***and*** more. Maybe you weren't ready to hear it, but that doesn't stop it from happening. Now you need to accept it. Stop thinking for a minute and just ***feel***."

"Feel?" he repeated, sniffling.

She put her hand over his mouth. "Someone ***loves*** you Adam," she told him softly, her smile warm. "Loves you even though someone else may not like it, even though you may not love them back. They just ***love*** you."

It was a nice thought ...

She kissed his temple, hugging him tighter. "And that person is Rocky."

... And they were back to square one.


	25. Magic Lessons

**Author's Notes/:** -Sighs- This chapter is oddly short because it didn't want to cooperate - and that's ***after*** I expanded it.

I'm highly amused to note how many people liked Prescott. Don't worry; there will be ***plenty*** of Prescott moments in the future. Especially Tommy/Prescott moments. -Grins-

Enjoy!

Chapter 25:Magic Lessons

Astronema watched as Zeus let loose several shots in quick succession. Most of the target Quantrons were instantly destroyed. The remaining ones charged forward, attacking in a large group. He holstered one gun swiftly, altering use of the other with his empty fist. It was three minutes before they were all destroyed, and he kicked the final one in disdain as it twitched.

"Not bad," Astronema allowed.

He looked up at her. "What do you suggest I do differently?" With anyone else his tone would have been sharp, if he had even asked at all. For her, it was sincerely curious and held no animosity.

They were both well aware of the rumors flying through the Dark Fortress, the chosen 'headquarters' for the Dark Rangers. Neither particularly cared. They knew the others wouldn't believe they weren't sleeping together even if it ***had*** actually mattered to them. The truth was more complex than that: sworn allies, and vowed to be nothing more. The real truth was that they were friends, best friends even, and Astronema was coming to think of Zeus as a younger brother. They would never admit it, however; a friend in the UAE meant a weakness, and weakness meant death.

Instead they spent a great deal of time training together and plotting their newest conquest. They were vicious in their desire to get revenge against the Power Rangers, and had no qualms about sending out attacks on innocent people or peaceful planets to rile them. Wherever they went, disaster and destruction was left in their wake.

Secretly, they also spent their nights talking. They spoke of the families they'd lost, and the 'friends' that had betrayed them. She told him stories of her life in the UAE, and he shared tales of his past that he'd only told one other person. They grew closer the more they learned of one another; Zeus was the only person Astronema had ***ever*** shown the inside of her locket to, while only she knew how much he still cared for Rocky DeSantos, the former Red Ninja and Blue Zeo Ranger of Earth. In the end, they had come to trust one another with far more than their lives. They knew each other's secrets, and loved one another with fiercely. As such, he knew any advice she had for him would be well worth listening to.

"You could have simply electrocuted them, rather than allowing them to get so close," she informed him. "It would save you a lot of time, and keeps your eyes open for other attacks."

"My magic isn't that reliable. I can only use it when I'm really angry," he admitted. Humility was foreign to Zeus, and only Astronema had the privilege of seeing it.

"I could teach you," she offered.

He blinked at her, then slowly smiled. "I'd like that," he said softly.

* * *

"Untie your hair," Astronema instructed. "Your mind has to be free and relaxed to focus your magic in the beginning. Wearing loose things helps that."

She and Zeus were sitting cross-legged on the floor of her room, both wearing night clothes. Usually this was their conversation time, but they had agreed it would be best to practice in secret. Her rooms were chosen because they'd been magic protected long ago. She'd warned him about the potential of magical backlash. Rito Revolto's transformation was a prime example used for new magic students.

Zeus obediently reached up and pulled out his hair tie. He paused to observe Astronema for a moment. Her hair was the simplest he'd ever seen it; golden blond hanging loose just above her shoulders. Without make-up, her face seemed ... softer, somehow. As she turned large blue eyes to him, he was suddenly struck by the thought that she was truly beautiful.

"Is that your natural hair?" he asked abruptly.

"Yes. I can't use any magic during this exercise," she answered warily. "Why?"

"You look nice like that. Without any bright hair or make-up. And that outfit you wear ... "

She frowned at him as he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "What's wrong with my outfit?" she demanded. In spite of her words, even now her tone was filled with only mock indignation. Zeus' simple honesty always amused rather than annoyed her.

"It looks like you dismantled a tin can and glued it to yourself," he told her bluntly.

She swatted him gently. "I'm not going to change my image just for you. I've worked too hard to make a name for myself," she lectured. "Now focus."

"Yes, ma'am." He ducked another swat with a grin and finally quieted.

"Close your eyes. Focus nothing but the sound of my voice and your own breathing."

He followed her instructions, noting in the back of his mind that her voice could be rather soothing when she wasn't screeching.

"Don't try and picture anything; that's a beginner's mistake. You're too good for that. Let the picture come to you. Feel the desire for your magic, and let it show itself to you."

- _As she spoke, he found the image of a pool of midnight blue coming to mind. The surface crackled and sparked with energy, entrancing him. Almost as soon as he saw it, she continued._ -

"Don't just grab into the pool. You'll end up hurting both of us. It's tempting, I know. But you have to be more cautious than that. Let your body adjust to the energy it's producing. Feel it pulsing, and make it a part of you."

- _He did as she told him, and felt the wealth of potential energy. It __***was***__ tempting, and it took visible restraint not to just grab it. But even though he couldn't admit it, he trusted Astronema. She wouldn't let him hurt himself. As he tried to feel it pulse, he realized abruptly that the pulse of the magic was in tune with his heartbeat. It was reassuring, somehow._ -

"Now," she whispered, her voice so soft he didn't startle. "Touch it. Don't grab; just touch. Slowly!"

- _He mentally recoiled at the command, reaching out more slowly. He skimmed the surface of the pool and found energy coursing through him. Somehow he thought it should have been painful, but it wasn't at all. It was warm and soothing, like being wrapped in a blanket._ -

"Now ease yourself in, just a bit at a time. Don't go all the way in; just a bit."

- _It was a bit like attempting to wade in a swimming pool; it felt too cold to just stand there, but he couldn't bring himself to go all the way in. And the energy pool __***was***__ cold. He wasn't sure he'd ever felt anything this cold without being completely frozen. In his mind, he was standing just at the edge, moving in only to mid-calf._

_It was sort of fun, though. The lightning crackled around him in an almost friendly way. He held out a hand in front of him, watching it surround the hand and flash in bursts of brightness._

_He flexed his fingers for a moment. Lines of lightning curled around them as he watched. Grinning to himself, he pointed across the pool._

_The response wasn't at all what he'd expected. Lightning shot straight from his hand, a line of electricity arching across the pool before it hit the edge. It hit some sort of barrier that left it flashing against it, as though trying to push it's way through._

_He turned his hand palm up, letting the electricity return to him. _-(It's all right,)-_ he thought soothingly. _-(You'll get more chances to play, I promise.)-

_The lightning flared brightly, swirling at his feet and hand until it began to wrap around him._ -

When he finally heard Astronema's voice again, there was a touch of approval in her voice. "Open your eyes, Zeus."

As he did, he found her smiling at him: a real, kind, smile. "You did it." Now she sounded proud. "You were able to access more magic at once than any beginner I've ever seen."

He smiled back, inwardly glowing at the praise. "So what do I do now?"

"Use it," she encouraged.

"For what?"

"Anything you want."

He grinned slightly and focused, running a hand over his hair. Instantly his head was covered in a mass of shoulder length blond curls.

She swatted him instantly, recognizing the taunt, then paused to study him. "Longer," she declared. "And straight."

He obeyed, growing the hair to his waist and straightening it.

She rolled her eyes. "Stick with your natural color. You make an awful blond."

Offended, he shifted it to a beached shade that was more highlighted than anything else. "Do not."

"Like that, no," she agreed, nodding her approval. "But I still think you look better natural."

He followed her advice, shifting the bleached coloring into his true dark brown. "What else?"

"Clothes we can work on later," she mused. "But you do need some sort of signature attribute. I've got my Wrath Staff and my headband, Rita has those horrible cones in her hair, even that idiot Divatox has her mask."

He thought for a moment. Something occurred to him, and he focused. "Well?" he asked when he finished.

She stared at the large feathery black wings sprouting from his back. "You look like the angel of death."

He grinned darkly. "That's the idea."

She shook her head at him. "How are the blueprints coming?"

"Oh, I'm ***way*** past the blueprint stage," he responded, banishing his wings to stretch out on the floor. "Actually, I've only got two more to build before we've got a set. Then there's just adjustments to yours and that stupid serpent-thing; whatever he's calling it."

They sat in silence for awhile, both adjusting themselves more comfortably for sleep. They always slept in the same room; it was a good idea to have someone to watch your back, even if it only added to the rumors. "Astronema?" he asked at last.

"Yes?"

"How did you always know when I was ready for the next step?"

She raised up on an elbow to look at him. "Mind link," she explained. "Every teacher mind links to their student to make sure that they're doing it correctly. Any good teacher, anyway," she added with a sniff.

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"Yes," she answered simply, laying back down and rolling over to face the opposite way to signal the end of the conversation. The lights dimmed and he closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep.

"Zeus?"

The whisper was so soft he barely heard it. "What?"

"I trust you, too."

* * *

She stared out the window of their room on the Dark Fortress. She ignored the sound of Zedd's snoring, leaning against the wall as she stared at the stars. It had taken years, but she had finally managed to learn how to mostly tune out the meat grinder Zedd had stuck in his nose at night.

She was tired. Tired of losing, tired of fighting. And even now, when she finally had the Power to annihilate those blasted Rangers once and for all, it was hard to summon the energy to care. She didn't know what she wanted anymore; but she couldn't remember what it was like to do anything else.

A strange urge came over her, and she reached for her staff. It sparkled at her touch, the magic sweeping over her in a soft display of flickering lights. It didn't usually react this way, but she supposed it was because she hadn't wanted Zedd to wake up and see what she was doing.

She drifted over to the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her hair now drifted over her shoulders in silky strands of green, framing the triangular emerald embedded just below her collarbone. Her eyes were the same bright shade as the emerald, but dull and flat.

Her fingers came to drift faintly across the emerald, and she glared abruptly. "This is your fault," she hissed under her breath. "You're the one doing this to me! I was ***happy*** with my life, ***damn*** you!"

The emerald sparkled faintly.

She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the wall. She wouldn't explain this to Zedd, and she wasn't stupid enough to trust any of the other Dark Rangers. But the Gemstone Power wasn't as simple as Morphin energy. The Power Gems had ***thoughts*** and emotions attached to them. They weren't just stone; they were evil, manipulative things that changed the way you thought, the way you acted.

And hers had been efficiently silenced for fifteen thousand years - until that Ranger Brat's Zeo Power woke it up.

She didn't know what was going to happen now. But she did know that she was changing; that the Gemstone was trying to bring back the girl she'd been. The girl that was supposed to be dead.

She scowled abruptly, reaching for her staff. In an instant the emerald was covered and her hair was gray and twisted into its usual cones. She wouldn't surrender. She was Empress Rita Repulsa, damn it - and no ***rock*** was going to take that away from her.


	26. Mental Quest

**Author's Notes/:** **Warning:** This chapter contains references to torture and attempted suicide.

Chapter 26:Mental Quest

The Astro Rangers, Phantom, and Litania glanced around themselves as they landed on the beach of Phaedos the others had told them about. It was as barren as had been described, nothing but an endless span of rock and water. Phantom had not arrived demorphed as the rest of them, which had earned her silent looks from the others. "So, why did they say we have to go again?" Carlos asked. "All of us already have the Power."

"We need more information about the Prophecy," Andros replied as they began to walk. "There isn't enough to understand it yet. Examining the temple may give us more clues."

"Besides, Dulcea wants to see us," Litania added with a grin.

"Yes, I did."

They all spun, striking up defensive stances. Behind them stood a beautiful woman in a green bikini, seeming amused. "You are the remaining friends of Zordon's Children?"

"We're the Astro Rangers," Andros answered politely.

Litania gave him an annoyed look. "And a Gold Star Ranger, thank you."

"Are you Dulcea?" Ashley asked hesitantly.

"I am. And you have need of my assistance." Her gaze swept over them all, the knowing stare making them all uncomfortable. Cassie actually took a slight step back. "Follow me," she announced abruptly, turning and walking away.

They looked at one another, and slowly began to file after her.

* * *

"You seek to stop the Dark Rangers, but you will be of no use as you are," Dulcea told them as they watched her from the other side of the fire. "They are darkness and despair personified. To defeat them your hearts must be unbreakable, your will unbendable, and your minds strong. You cannot face them now." Her gaze settled firmly on Phantom, who was still morphed.

"We can't just give up," Ashley protested.

Dulcea almost smiled. "No. You cannot give up. That is why I shall help you to find your strength again. Close your eyes." Her gaze returned to the Phantom Ranger, and her tone cooled somewhat. "You cannot do this morphed."

Phantom's expression was hidden, and the flash of light that left the young girl in place of the armor wasn't anymore enlightening. Her face was like stone as she stared back. Her eyes on Dulcea, she never noticed the curious glances of the other Rangers. The staring contest continued for a few moments, until at last she closed her eyes.

Hesitantly, the rest followed Dulcea's instructions. Her powder drifted across the fire, swirling around them. And once again, the ones before her slipped deep into trance.

* * *

He was wandering through the grasslands where he'd grown up; he'd know the landscape anywhere. He turned and smiled, heart aching in memory, at the little house just on the horizon. It wasn't glamorous, but they had managed. It was home.

He turned away from it and froze. A small boy was curled under a tree, hugging his knees and trying desperately to hide that he was crying. He recognized him instantly, but his feet refused to move.

"Andros?"

His eyes widened further, and he spun to watch the man hurrying toward the boy. Brown and blond streaked hair spiking out around a face marred by wrinkles it was far too young for. Warm brown eyes that softened as he crouched down next to the child. A face that still haunted him in his dreams.

"Andros ... "

The boy cringed away. "It was my fault," he choked out. "I was supposed to watch her while you were gone. I lost her. I lost Karone, Father. I-I can't feel her anymore!" He immediately dissolved into fresh tears.

The man winced, drawing the boy into his arms despite his protests. He held him for awhile, slowly rocking back and forth as he searched for something to say. "When your mother died, I thought it was the worst possible thing that could have happened," he said at last. "But eventually I was able to realize that even though she was gone, she had given me the two most precious gifts I could ever have received. And while I'll always miss her, I know that even though she was taken from me, something wonderful came along. I regret losing her, but I'll never wish away what she gave me in return."

"It's not the same!" the boy protested loudly.

"Not right now," the man agreed. "Right now, Karone is the most important thing to you. But one day, you'll find something else important. You won't forget her, but something else you treasure will make you happy again. Even if it's not the same, you'll be glad to have it."

"Nothing will ***ever*** be more important than Karone!" the boy sobbed.

The man kissed his head gently, hugging him close. "You will be happy, Andros," he murmured. "I'm sure of it."

-(_Am I?_)- Andros wondered silently. -(_Is this what you wanted for me, Father? A life of constant fighting, worrying for friends I never intended to have, trying to protect people I've never known? Is this what losing Karone was supposed to bring?_)-

The image shimmered around him, dissolving into the cool interior of the Astro Megaship. A young voice shouting drew his attention almost immediately, and he wandered onto the bridge. Five children just into their teens stood there, the smallest glaring angrily at the others. The other boy refused to meet his gaze, while one of the girls hugged her sister's un-bandaged arm. The remaining girl met his glare dispassionately. "Andros, listen to reason - "

"This isn't reason!" the youngest shouted back. "It's ***cowardice***! You're running away because of one loss!"

She stared back, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Our Powers are fading," she began quietly. "Our people are dying, we've barely survived our own injuries - " They both shot a slight glance at the girl in blue bearing a cast over her entire left arm before returning to their argument. "We lost our teammate. We nearly lost our ***planet***. We can't do this, Andros. We're not strong enough to be Rangers. It's time to let someone else fight."

"Zhane's not dead!" he shot back fiercely. "He's not! The doctors are ***wrong***! I can feel it," he whispered, voice breaking as he clenched a fist over his heart. "He's alive, I know it. He just needs time. When he recovers, he'll be the first to say we need to go after Dark Spectre. The Power ... there ***has*** to be a way to fix it. We can't be the first Rangers to have weakened Morphers. We may have barely survived, but now is the time our people and our planet are counting on us most! We can't give up!"

He paused for breath. "My father told me that you have to push past the things that break you and keep fighting to find the good. You don't lay down and give up. You fight to find something better." His eyes narrowed even as they sparkled with tears. "I won't betray his memory by giving up."

"Then I guess I'm not you, Andros," the other boy spoke up, grief in his features. "I'm not that strong."

"I ***can't*** fight," the girl in blue put in. "If I do - " She broke off, looking away as her good fist clenched.

Her sister squeezed her arm. "I can't leave Vitri alone, Andros. I'm sorry, but I won't." She let her tears fall freely when she met his gaze. "I wish I could help you, but ... " She blinked, biting her lip to hold in a sob.

"I won't leave people to die while I chase a possibility," the last girl informed him coolly. "I can't take that chance. Maybe Zhane would agree with you. But I still can't help but wonder if he would leave KO-35 unprotected for that." She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "I don't know if time will fix him. I can't believe that as easily as you do. All I can say is that I hope you're right, Andros."

He looked at each of them, jaw clenching in anger at what he saw as betrayal. "Fine. I'll find Dark Spectre on my own," he hissed. He hit a button on D.E.C.A.'s console, and all four of them dissolved into light.

He was silent for a moment, struggling to fight down his emotions. At last he looked at the four Morphers on his console and narrowed his eyes. "I don't need their help," he murmured bitterly. "I don't need anyone."

Andros stared after the boy as he took the Morphers to storage. -(_But I did_,)- he admitted to himself. -(_I didn't want to, because it hurt so much after they left. But I needed help, and the others gave it to me. If Rael, Das, Sarray and Vitri had never left me, I would never have met T.J., Carlos, Cassie and Ashley. I'm closer to the four of them then I ever was to the others. I don't know if I would have lasted as long as I have without them_.)-

The Megaship dissolved around him into blackness as he considered what his memories had shown him. -(_All that pain, losing my family, my friends, my planet ... _)- He closed his eyes for a moment, clenching a hand over his heart. -(_I couldn't just lay down and give up. I had to keep going_.)- He paused as something occurred to him. "And I was right," he said aloud. "The Morphers ***were*** fixed. Zhane wasn't gone - he came back to me. Karone ... " He hesitated, as he still hadn't quite come to accept this new piece of knowledge yet. "Karone may be alive after all. I lost my team, but I found my friends. If I had given up when they did, I wouldn't have made it so far."

A shriek of a bird reached his ears, and he turned. The darkness behind him had lit up a fiery red, with the image of a bird imposed over it. A feeling of awe swept over him as he identified the bird from textbooks he had read as a child. "I am the Phoenix."

* * *

A black haze surrounded him, cool to the skin, but somehow comforting. Then voices began to whisper around him, and he spun wildly, searching for the source. "Who's there?" he shouted to the empty space around him.

- _"I always knew you'd make a perfect minion of evil."_ -

- _"Funny. I always thought you'd make a great minion myself. Doesn't take a lot, you know. Maybe if I get bored with Goldie, I'll come looking for you."_ -

- _"Black is the artist, be it musically or otherwise."_ -

- _"Oh yeah, Zack's an awesome dancer. Give him some music, and he'll find a rhythm. You feel the same way, I bet."_ -

- _"Vengi writes _frilon_. _Frilon _is...visual poetry. But then, I suppose you could understand that, couldn't you?"_ -

- _"Adam? Well, he doesn't dance or sing or anything like that. But I have seen him write some really nice poetry. I don't really get it myself, but you do, I'm sure."_ -

He shivered, hugging himself tightly. "I don't dance," he murmured. "I can't write, and I can't draw. Am I really supposed to be a trouble magnet Green, or a Black with no artistic talent?"

_- "What are you looking at, Carlos?"_

_"The history files on the other Rangers. Did you know the original Green Ranger became the White Ranger, even though he was evil?"_

_"Carlos, everyone knows the evil Green Ranger became good. We grew up in Angel Grove. We watched all that, remember?"_

_"Yeah, but it's different to see it this way. Although for some reason the computer won't give me any names ... "_

_"Maybe you're not supposed to intrude on someone else's privacy."_

_"Maybe ... It's just ... "_

_"Just what?"_

_" ... "_

_"Because you're Green, too? Oh, Carlos ... Color doesn't make the Ranger; it's heart. Your heart is good. ... Well, mostly good. You're still __***way***__ too overprotective."_

_"Maybe because __***someone***__ has to keep you out of trouble."_

_"Me?"_

_" ... Thanks, Ash."_

_"Anytime. I'm always here for you, Carlos. Whenever you need me. That's what best friends are for."_ -

"And you always have been," he murmured. He looked around himself again, calmer now. "And that's why I have six best friends. To remind me that I'm no one but myself. And no one is going to make into a minion, or make me question who I am." His eyes flashed with pride and determination. "And that's why we're going to remind Justin what his best friends are for. We won't leave him like this."

- _"Who turned on who? Who called me weak, abandoned me and left me alone? Who wanted me gone all along? Who called me pathetic and stupid, said good riddance as they left me behind?"_ -

His eyes narrowed. "I don't know who told you those lies Justin, but we'll prove them wrong. You're never alone when you're a Ranger. No matter how much you may wish you were."

Something was coming at him through the mist. He moved into a defensive position, ready and waiting. No one was getting the drop on him again.

Then the object became clear, and he froze in disbelief. "A black iguana?" he said incredulously. The meaning dawned on him, and disbelief turned into indignation. "I'm the Black Iguana?"

* * *

She watched as the yellow balloon drifted down towards her through the darkness. She reached out a hand, lightly bumping it back up again. When it came down, she hit it up again. Down, Up. Down, Up.

"Always keep it up," she murmured to herself. "Never let it touch the ground."

Soon she was challenging herself, moving faster, giving it smaller taps, hitting it harder, knocking it farther out of reach. Somehow it became a dance, twirling, jumping, ducking, spinning around. And yet all she saw was the yellow balloon. That was all that mattered.

She missed.

She stared as the balloon bounced lightly against the dark ground, finally resting. Her chest was heaving slightly from the workout she'd made it become. Her hair was in her eyes now, but she was too busy staring at the fallen balloon to bother to brush it aside.

- _"Don't take it so seriously, Ashley," her cousin scolded as she scooped the balloon off the floor where it had fallen. She rolled her eyes at the devastated expression staring back at her. "Chill out. It's no big deal. The balloon falls, you just pick it back up and try again. It's a game, not life or death."_ -

"Not life or death?" she repeated softly. Her eyes welled with tears. "What about when it is life and death, Nicole? What happens when you miss the balloon then?"

Something pushed at the balloon, knocking it back towards her. Her eyes widened as it stepped into the light. A deer with soft, pale yellow fur and large brown eyes. It seemed to stare back at her for a long moment, then dropped its head to nose the balloon towards her again.

She paused, looking back down at the balloon. She reached down slowly to pick it up, staring at it. "The balloon falls, you pick it back up and try again," she said, her voice stronger now. She looked up at the doe as a warm smile spread across her face. "You don't give up. You pick it back up and try again."

The doe seemed to nod her approval.

She laughed, suddenly filled with happiness. She tossed the balloon, hitting it hard above her head in a volleyball serve. "You try again!" she cheered once more. "I am Ashley Hammond, the Yellow Deer!"

* * *

He was standing on a baseball diamond. He supposed that really shouldn't have surprised him, all in all. It seemed to be the only thing he was really any good at.

A bat formed in his hands. His grip tightened on it instinctively, and he found himself shifting into a batting stance. He tugged his cap a little more firmly over his eyes, absently wondering where the blue baseball uniform had come from before deciding he didn't really care.

What did surprise him however, was the pitcher.

She seemed to be smiling at him beneath her white facemask, making the image of her in a baseball uniform all the weirder. "Are you frightened of me, T.J.?" Dimitria asked. "Have I ever harmed you?"

"Well ... n-no ... " he stammered.

"All right, all right! No hitter, gimme a no hitter!" Behind him, Alpha 6 was somehow crouched down, smacking a fist into his glove. Even more strangely, he spoke in his old Brooklyn accent.

T.J. blinked again, looking back at Dimitria. Her eyes continued to smile at him as she said nothing, simply waiting. At last he shrugged, took a few experimental swings, and shouldered his bat. He waited, staring intently ahead.

"Why are you afraid, T.J.?" Dimitria asked. She threw the ball without warning, pitching with surprising speed and accuracy.

"I'm not!" he shot back. He swung and missed.

"Strike one!" Divatox stood behind Alpha, practically purring the words in delight.

He shuddered slightly at the sight of the Dark Purple Ranger before pushing her presence from his mind. Focus on the ball, he reminded himself. No distractions. Just you and the ball.

"Is it the fight that you fear? The fight against Darkness?"

"No!" he snapped back. He missed again.

"Strike two!" Divatox announced eagerly.

He hesitated, "I am scared." he confessed softly. "This is worse than anything we've ever faced before. And ... and what if we lose? What if we can't save Justin and Zordon?"

Dimitria's tone was soothing. "Is it not better to know that you have tried to save your friend? Would doing nothing not be worse?"

"Of course it would! I can't just abandon Justin! He's my friend! And people need Zordon! I'm not going to just give up! We have to help them!" He was so busy ranting that he entirely forgot to swing, and found himself fighting embarrassment a moment later.

"Ball one," Divatox sulked.

"Is it the sight of your own deep fears which troubles you?" Dimitria persisted. She pitched again.

He swung hard, his vision suddenly blurring. He could hear the crack as he connected. An audience he couldn't see 'oohed' in anticipation. He didn't bother to look, trying in vain to scrub at his eyes with the back of a hand. His shoulders hitched despite his attempts to stop them. "What if it's true?" he whispered, voice cracking. "What if they really don't care? What if ... Would it really matter to them if I was destroyed? I'm not smart or a good cook. I'm not even that great of an athlete. Obviously I'm a bad leader. What good am I?"

"Foul ball!" Divatox cried happily. There was another moment of silence, and he could hear her sigh. "Time out!" she grumbled.

A hand settled gently on his shoulder, and another tilted his chin up. His watering eyes met Dimitria's. Finding himself actually seeing them up close for the first time, he was further surprised to discover that they were white. She had pupils, but the irises were a pale, silvery off-white. "Do your friends care for you?" Dimitria asked softly, those strange eyes filled with compassion as she looked at him. "Do they not fight at your side? Have they claimed you to be a bad leader?"

"No," he mumbled. He tried to look away as the tears welled even more, but her gentle, penetrating gaze wouldn't allow it. "But if I was a good leader, I wouldn't have been demoted to Blue."

She was silent for a moment. "Would you not consider Rocky to be your equal? Or Tommy?"

He blinked. "Of course. They're great guys. But what does that have to do with anything?"

She smiled again. "Would it surprise you to know that both were not always the Colors you see them wear now? Would you think less of Tommy to know that he has worn three Colors? Would you think Rocky a bad leader for having the same transition you have, from Red to Blue?"

He stared at her, startled. "He was?"

She nodded. "Did you not listen to Pahla when she told you of the Color Philosophies? Did she not say that some hold the attributes of more than one Color? Is the ability to strategize, an attribute of Blue, not a quality well used in a Red Ranger as well?"

"I ... I never thought of it that way," he confessed.

Her hand moved up to cup his cheek tenderly. "Has your family not expressed their love in non-verbal ways? Have they not allowed your move to Angel Grove, for the chance to better yourself? Have they not encouraged you?"

He fidgeted a little as guilt started to creep in. "Yeah."

The face mask still hid her smile, but the warmth in her eyes was nearly overwhelming. "Do not all parents care for their children on some level? Would your mother not be as proud of you as I?"

"You are?" He blushed abruptly, fidgeting again.

Her thumb rubbed his cheekbone lightly. "Does Zordon not call his disciples his children? Am I not allowed the same affection?" Her other hand squeezed his shoulder. "Would you not want to be thought of as a child of mine, to be loved as one of my own?"

He smiled slowly as one of the tears managed to slip down his cheek. He wasn't sad, though. Instead, a great warmth filled him. "I'd be honored," he told her honestly. " I ... I love you too, Dimitria."

Her arms were around him, and he squeezed back tightly without a second thought. The warmth he felt didn't fade, and he realized abruptly that he really did think of her as a mother figure. She'd only taken care of them for a few months, but he loved her all the same.

She pulled back to squeeze his shoulders again as that same loving expression looked over him. "Have you refreshed? Are you not ready to try again?"

He smiled. "Yeah. I'm ready."

She returned to the pitcher's mound, making him grin as the white veil wrapped around her face fluttered behind her. He hefted the bat again, taking a few more practice swings. She turned to face him, preparing for the last pitch.

The darkness around him suddenly brightened, allowing him to see. The first thing to catch his eye was the bizarre sight of a blue rhinoceros standing calmly in the middle of center field, watching him. It didn't move, only watching him casually.

Another smile drifted across his face as he understood. -(_The Blue Rhinoceros, huh? That's not so bad. I think I like it_.)-

"I'm ready," he repeated. "I'm ready to face my fears. I'm ready to protect my friends. I'll save Justin, and show him that his friends ***do*** care. I'll prove he's still a good person. I'm ready!"

"Oh, please," Divatox sighed behind him.

The crowd cheered their encouragement. He didn't recognize the opposing team, but the Astro Rangers waited in the dugout for him, cheering his name. In the front of the stands were Tommy, Jason, Billy, Kat, and all of the other former Earth Rangers. Justin was waiting on third base, bouncing back and forth in anticipation.

"Come on, T.J.! Bring me home!"

"You can do it, Teej!"

"All right, T.J.!"

"Man, haven't they won the game ***yet***? I'm hungry!"

He fought back a grin. The ball loomed towards him, and he swung. The resounding crack echoed in his ears. He jogged towards first base, to busy watching the ball to actually run. He continued to watch as it sailed clean over the fence.

* * *

Cassie's world had become a soft, endless pink. Here there was peace and quiet. No fear, no guilt, no pain ... No emotions that weren't her own.

It had begun one day out of the blue, as she was babysitting for Sammy. Like any three year old, Sammy was curious. Unfortunately, this time curiosity left him with a broken vase, bawling his head off as he clutched a bleeding finger. She'd rushed to comfort him, only to burst into tears herself. Sammy, oddly enough, had stopped crying to try and comfort ***her***, making her smile at what a sweet little boy he was. She'd cleaned up him and the vase, and had put it out of her mind.

Then the day Tony had come home from an argument with a teammate that had gotten him suspended from the next football game, she'd put her fist through a wall.

She hid it, and claimed she had a bad day. No one had pushed, but she had felt lost and confused. Why was this happening? This wasn't like her at all. She ***hated*** showing emotion. Emotions only got you hurt.

But it seemed no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn't stop. Paige's first kiss had her giggling and dancing around the house like an idiot. A phone call from Mitch's caseworker had left her in tears again, beating at her pillow with a frustration that wasn't her own. Even though Mom had hid the bank statements from them the moment she came into the room, she still felt worried and upset every time she'd been looking at them.

Then came the day that they'd caught Tony drinking. The yelling hadn't bothered her at all; that she could handle. It was the frustration, the fear, the worry, the anger, the loneliness, the faint guilt. No matter how hard she tried to ignore it, they wouldn't go away, pushing through her and overwhelming her senses. At last she began to scream, curled in a corner and screaming for it all to go away.

When she came to the next morning, she crept into the kitchen to hear Mom and Dad discussing sending her to therapy. She'd backpedaled, running for her room and throwing all her things into a bag. Never again. She would ***never*** go back to being told she needed to stop fighting and deal with everything that had brought her to this life. Never again someone telling her what was wrong with her, why her parents hadn't wanted her, trying to tell her that her new parents loved her, her new family was her home now.

She ran. Ran away from the emotions she couldn't handle, a family she couldn't bring herself to accept. She left her past behind and took a bus to the first town that caught her eye. She changed her clothes, her style, even her personality. And it was in the midst of that bus ride that she'd met a friendly young man with a warm smile who refused to abandon a person who needed help.

When the others had asked about where she lived, she lied and told them her family had been sending her to Stone Canyon. When Ashley's parents offered to take her in, she faked a phone call that gave permission for her to stay. She had even convinced one of her old friends to fake some high school transcripts for her. And so she left the family that had been about to adopt her and who she had been behind, becoming a new person.

But no matter hard she'd fought it, burying it deep enough that it seemed to go away, it seemed that it was still there. She didn't ***want*** this, whatever it was. She didn't want to feel. She just wanted to be normal.

"Why won't it just go away?" she cried aloud, her voice pleading.

-( _"Hush, little one. Never be ashamed of your gifts." _)-

She looked around herself, suddenly wary. "Who are you?"

-( _"I will help you, little one. Be at peace. Your gift fights you because you fight it." _)-

She frowned, even as she continued to search for the source of the cheerful, mature voice. "You mean the reason I can't stop feeling everything is because I don't want to? That doesn't make any sense!"

Warmth seemed to spread over her, and she found herself calming down almost immediately. -( _"You are an empath. It is something you cannot change. Instead, you must adjust, allowing this ability to become part of yourself." _)-

"How can I do that?" she wondered, still somewhat suspiciously.

If anything, the voice seemed amused now. -( _"You are a Power Ranger. Skepticism is not something a Ranger may humor." _)- She started to protest, but the voice continued. -( _"You fight this gift. Yet to share in the joys and pains of others __***is***__ a gift. Let it become a part of you, and it will never fail you. "_)-

"Who are you?" she asked again.

-( _"You already know, little one. We have been Bonded for longer than you have known your true destiny." _)-

Her hand drifted almost instinctively to her stomach, to the tattoo she'd never shown anyone. She'd never understood why it had caught her attention so much that she had convinced Pete to give it to her, but she'd loved it the moment he was finished. While she couldn't show it off as much as she wanted, it had always made her smile when she saw it in the mirror. "The dolphin," she breathed. "I am the Dolphin."

Another wave of joy and comfort swept through her despite her resolve, and she found herself relaxing instinctively. She giggled abruptly, raising her hands to cover her heart as she listened to the sound of her own heartbeat. "The Heart of the Dolphin," she murmured. While she didn't understand what had made her say it, somehow she knew she'd never spoken truer.

* * *

He was running. It didn't matter from what. He was free, the wind in his face and the grass beneath his feet. That was all that he needed to know.

Faces began to flash at him as he ran past them. Uncle Gian, sighing and shaking his head. Aunt Bidret's sad gaze. Uncle Ligad watching him for only a moment before turning away. His father's disappointed stare. An incredulous look from his mother. And Uncle Paux, his eyes full of betrayal.

He pushed himself harder, running faster. He loved to run. To feel the wind, the strain in his muscles. There was something free about it. Something wild and wonderful.

- _"Why are you running, Zhane?"_ -

He ignored the voice. It wasn't the first time she'd asked him that. He nearly stumbled when he realized it was probably the last, forcing himself even harder as he fought back tears.

- _"I know why you love to run,"_ -another voice put in brightly. Another voice he would probably never hear again. - _"I mean, you did grow up on the Megaship - uh, Delta Megaship."_ -He could almost see her wrinkling her nose as she tried to remember that they had more than one ship now. - _"You love to run because it gives you room to move. Although when you run in the Simudeck, you're really just running in circles."_ -

He made a face instinctively, much the same as he had when she'd actually said it. "Thanks, Sarray," he puffed.

- _"Anytime!"_ -

Sarcasm ***had*** always been lost on her ...

- _"This morpher will never serve you while I carry it!"_ -

He did fall when he stumbled this time, skidding to his knees as he choked on a sob. He wouldn't cry. No matter how much it hurt to know that he'd betrayed his family, he would ***not*** cry. Instead he surged back to his feet, sprinting off again as his legs ached and his lungs burned.

- _"Being a Silver rots."_ -

He closed his eyes to the voice, as though that would make it go away. "Don't want ... to hear ... this ... " he gasped.

- _"Seriously. Having to be known as 'Light itself'? Talk about pressure. It's horrible. I hate it."_ -

A pause, for a question he refused to repeat and make the memory more real.

- _"Quit? And give up protecting the people I love? Never. I could never forgive myself if I just gave up."_ -

Another pause, and now his face felt wet.

- _"Being a Ranger isn't about doing what __***you***__ want, Zhane. It's about doing what's needed. If I didn't fight, people would be hurt. If I didn't torment the team, the stress would break them down. If I didn't annoy Mihel, your mother would never laugh at him. If I didn't tease, Gian would never smile. That smile, the laughter, is worth any cost I have to give."_ -

Again, he paused.

- _"Retire?" - _The echo of laughter from so long ago. He'd been so young at the time ... - _"A Ranger can __***never***__ retire. I may pass on my Morpher, but that doesn't stop me from being a Ranger. That's part of who I am now. And ... I don't think I could ever regret it. Yeah, being a Silver rots, but ... "_ -

He could still remember the way his eyes had closed as he smiled softly. - _"For the people I care about, for those smiles, it's worth it. Don't forget Zhane: never regret who you are or what you've done. Only regret when you stop trying."_ -

He slowed, leaning over to brace himself against his knees as he tried to breathe.

- _"Why are you running, Zhane?"_ -

"Because ... I haven't learned ... to forgive myself, yet Cayden," he wheezed. His little sister had always been full of questions. "Why? ...' cause I feel ... guilty. Yeah ... prob'ly shouldn't. Can't help it though. Yeah, probably stupid. That's me, stupid Zhane." He grinned ruefully, then ducked as he could have sworn he felt a hand smack the back of his head.

- _"If something bothers you, why don't you fix it?"_ -

He frowned slightly. This wasn't what Aunt Bidret had been referring to at the time she'd said it, but at the same time ... Could he fix it? How?

- _"The Morphers? Oh, they didn't come from KO-35."_ -His mother's face came to mind, answering his question distractedly as she poked around inside her Morpher, trying to make adjustments. - _"They came from Hvaenal. There's a Cessinoid there, Vylsn. He's one of the few who still have the ability to channel the Power. There aren't many left, but he's one of the best."_ -

His eyes widened. "Hvaenal. Vylsn. We can ... I can get a new Digimorpher! I can fix this!"

Something bumped into his back, making him stumble.

He turned and blinked in surprise. A silver horse stared back at him. After a moment, it nudged him with its nose again, nickering softly. Then it tossed its head, seeming to gesture towards its back.

Slowly, he moved to the horse's side. He put a hand on its shoulder, and heaved himself up onto its back. The horse remained still, and he sat up cautiously. After a moment of looking around, he smiled. "All right, boy," he declared. "Let's go fix our mistakes!"

The horse reared abruptly with a shrill, angry neigh. He clung to its neck, eyes widening. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to - I'm sorry girl!"

* * *

"Presenting Her Royal Highness, Princess Litania of Direl!"

She descended the stairs gracefully, one hand on the railing, back straight, eyes staring straight ahead. The lessons had paid off; she knew exactly what everyone wanted their princess to look like, and how they wanted her to act. Her face was expressionless, and she made sure to seem to snub her guests as she passed them.

Just as they wanted.

"Isn't she beautiful?" someone murmured as she went by.

"The perfect face for the Gannosian royalty," another agreed.

"She should bear attractive children," a man commented to the one beside him.

"But you've heard of her behavior, haven't you? They'll have to find a consort strong enough to tame her ***and*** run the government."

"Just pray her children don't inherit her attitude," someone else put in.

She held her shoulders stiff, even as she cringed inwardly. Her eyes stung, but she bit the inside of her cheek to keep them from watering. Her people weren't sexist; there had been many queens on the throne in the past. But she was horrible at diplomacy, had a tendency to get herself in over her head, and listening to complaints from her advisors gave her a headache.

She wasn't worthy of being queen, and she knew it. Her sister was the better choice. Ainatil knew what was happening before the rest of the government did. She could manipulate people into doing what she wanted without even a hint that they hadn't thought of it on their own. But Ainatil was the younger twin, suitable for an advisory position at best.

She wasn't stupid. Many members of the government wanted her on the throne because they wanted to appoint a consort to rule. They knew the people didn't trust her to take charge of their region, and they wanted someone they could control in her place.

She paused as the ballroom dancers parted, revealing three doors. On the center door was a crown, the one she'd seen waiting for her to wear upon her coronation. To her right was a gold star. To her left was the Astro Rangers team logo.

"You're going to have to choose one day, you know."

She turned to see her sister standing beside her. Ainatil was dressed for the ball, as she was, but her expression was distant, as if she wasn't really paying attention to anything around her. "You can't keep trying to deny what you are. You will be the Queen of Direl one day. You'll have to give up the Rangers."

"No!" she said sharply, staring at her sister.

Ainatil's expression remained passive. "A Queen can't put herself on the front lines of the defense. That's why the Silver Star Rangers exist."

Her eyes narrowed. "I ***know*** that. I don't know why I was chosen as Gold Star instead of Silver Star. But I won't say I regret it, if that's what you're asking." She paused, staring at the door with her team symbol on it. "I enjoy protecting our planet," she continued softly. "It's what I'm good at. I can't rule our region, but at least I can keep our people safe."

"So you're choosing the Gold Star Power over your crown?"

She didn't even stop to think about it. "Yes. I am. I abdicate the throne in favor of my sister."

The symbol on the center door vanished immediately, leaving behind the Gold Star and the Astro Ranger logo.

"And that boy?" Ainatil persisted. "Would you chose that Earthian over your own planet?"

She paused, staring straight ahead. She didn't know him. All she did know was that he was a Ranger, his name was T.J., and he wanted to bring his former teammate back from the Dark Rangers. He was painfully shy; anytime she approached him he blushed. But he was obviously loyal. Kind, and honorable. Someone she had a definite interest in getting to know.

"I can't say that yet," she said at last. "I don't know him."

"But you feel that you will."

She winced. "I don't know. I ... Part of me feels that ... that he's the one. But I can't afford to jump into this like I do everything else. There's too much at stake. I have my planet to protect, my Power, I - "

"You've already chosen."

She shook her head, suddenly frightened at the thought. For all her confidence, this was a decision she couldn't control. She knew in her head that she couldn't just chose an innocent Earthian who had barely stepped outside of his own galaxy, someone she barely knew, based on an incredible physical attraction and a strange feeling. But her heart was insistent; T.J. Johnson of Earth was someone very important to her, and given time, she would want to stay at his side. She would want to chose him over her planet. "I'm only here to help fight the Dark Rangers," she protested weakly. "I ... I only felt ... "

Something nosed her hand.

She looked down to see a purple fox looking up at her. It kept eye contact for several moments before nuzzling into her hand again. It didn't speak to her, but she understood all the same what it meant. She was already changing: she had found her Spirit Animal, something no Ranger in service of Gannos had ever done. She had traveled halfway across the universe for a feeling that someone needed her help. She'd joined his fight without question. And now she found herself wanting to spend time with him, to stay at his side. She enjoyed teasing him yes, but that was part of her nature. She couldn't just open up to him right away, after all.

"You've already chosen," her sister repeated, her tone gentle.

* * *

_- "We could cut it out," a voice suggested. _

_She stirred, eyes flickering open slowly. The ceiling above her was cold, gray, and completely unfamiliar. She shivered abruptly, and realized to her horror that she was completely nude. She was in a prison cell, held down by restraints. And the guards outside knew the truth._

_She tried to force the fear down. It wouldn't help her. She could only keep her honor with bravery now._

_"Perhaps burn it off?" the other guard snickered. "Enough pain, she will give it to us of her own free will."_

_The door opened, and she found herself staring up at them. The fear surged again, but she held their gazes firmly. She would not shame herself further._

_"The Overseers want that Ruby you stole," one told her._

_"I have stolen nothing," she snapped back. "This Ruby is my own. I will never surrender it."_

_The second guard grinned. "Good."_ -

Her eyes snapped open abruptly, shivering as her hands automatically went to her stomach and chest, tracing the scars that marred her pale skin. She sat in a sea of darkness, tendrils of red streaking around her every so often. She ignored the scenery, looking down almost instinctively to find the red circle on her collarbone. She ran her fingertips around it, watching it glow softly, comfortingly.

A strand of hair had slipped over her shoulder and into her face. She lifted it slowly to stare at it. The deep, dark red ran into raven black just below her shoulders, tainting the Color of her Power. It had been a true Red once, just like her eyes. The symbol of her status as a Red. But now, expelled from her planet and forced to wear a Color of armor that wasn't her own, it had tainted, the ends turning the same shade as that much-hated armor.

- _The stunned expressions of her team as Re-gat helped her hobble into their headquarters were discerning, to say the least. "Bright heavens," Ty-bil breathed, his face pale enough to match his white hair._

_"Set him here," Ja-rah commanded, hurrying to help her down to a table, forgetting what they now knew she was for the ease of habit._

_Ha-lec was already grabbing medical equipment. "This will hurt less if you sleep," he informed her, reaching for a sedative._

_She caught his hand, glaring. "I am not ... so weak ... " she growled._

_His eyes narrowed in return. "And I will not let your pride make you suffer needlessly," he retorted._

_She felt the sting in her arm, and her eyes slid shut with a last murderous glare._ -

She bowed her head. When she'd awoken, they were making plans to get her off the planet. Ja-rah insisted that they wouldn't let her be harmed, but she knew the truth. They were just as horrified and ashamed to learn that she was female as the Overseers had been. They had helped her to escape, and she had left her identity as Ko-lin of Yu-tari behind.

It was mere days later when she'd been forced to morph on an alien planet, to fight a monster for people she'd never met. That was when the black armor had first appeared. Her Ruby Sword still came when called, but she was a better shot with her blaster than she was a swordfighter. She'd defeated the monster easily, and the black armor had disappeared.

Four morphs later, she'd discovered the change in her hair. She suspected that soon the blackness would take over her entire head, darkening her eyes and hair. Just like it had her soul.

She'd slit her wrists that night.

She awoke again in an alien home, saved once again by a person she didn't know. That was how she had met Kay. A little old woman with a smart mouth and no patience to speak of.

- _"Oh, don't get your panties in a twist, honey. It's nothin' I ain't seen before," Kay informed her, trotting through her bedroom to the yard with a basket of clothing balanced on her head._

_She still hurriedly pulled on her clothing, hesitating before following her host outside. "You ... My being female does not bother you?"_

_Kay raised an eyebrow at her. "I ain't no hypocrite."_

_" ... Pardon?"_

_She sounded amused. "I'm obviously female too. 'Sides, I was a Ranger myself once. Eons ago, but believe it or not, I was."_

_"You ... b-but you're female," she protested weakly. "Females are not strong enough to ... to be ... "_

_Kay turned to stare at her, eyes narrowed as she braced her hands on her hips. "To be __***what***__?"_

_She couldn't help but cower at the woman's attitude. For someone barely four feet tall, her personality and aura were huge. Even at her small stature, Kay still managed to seem dark and imposing. "To be a Ranger," she finished hesitantly. "Females are too weak to fight as males do."_

_Kay raised an eyebrow. "Who fed you that load of bullhockey? I'm female. I've fought as a Ranger for ten years, bore and raised seven children, and run my own business. I'm better qualified to fight than half the men in this city. Could probably toss 'em on their sittin' ends, too."_

_She stared. "You ... "_

_Kay shook her head. "You poor babe." She smiled suddenly, rolling up her sleeves. "Well, then. Looks like I'll just have to re-educate you on just what a 'female' can do."_ -

A faint, hesitant smile slipped across her face for a moment. Kay had cared for her, healing her body and teaching her to fight again. She was truly wonderful, and she would never forget her hospitality.

She shook her head suddenly, the smile vanishing. "No one sees the Phantom's smile," she murmured to herself, repeating what one of her targets had said to his partner once. "And no one should."

Something large and warm was curling its way around her. She looked up, tensing, and found a great dragon. Its body was covered in alternating red and black scales, its wings were red, and its talons were black on all four feet. When it turned to look at her, its eyes were red as well. It watched her for a moment before finishing its movements and settling around her.

She found herself relaxing against it almost without thinking. She turned slightly to move closer and could hear a gentle, rumbling purr in response. She didn't realize it, but the corners of her mouth had turned up slightly. "Dragon," she whispered.

- _"Babe, courage isn't about being brave against the enemy. True courage is doing what is right __***and***__ what is necessary."_ -

* * *

Dulcea waited patiently for her final group to finish their spiritual journeys. Now that so many had succeeded, she wasn't so worried. These Earthians were strong, and shared their strength with the ones they brought with them. For once, she found herself wondering, hoping if perhaps they truly were the solution to the Dark Ranger prophecy.

As their eyes all flickered open at last, she moved to the one that troubled her the most. She knew the Earthians wouldn't understand why she'd been so hostile; arriving morphed and refusing to demorph in front of her had been an open insult from the Phantom Ranger. But once she'd seen who and what she was, she was beginning to realize that she was no better than the rest. Just a naive, young Yu-tari native who had no idea what offense she had committed.

So she pushed away her pride and tried to give comfort to the confused young girl who looked at her. "Ko-lin, you will always be a Red Ranger, a warrior with the strength to lead. Your spirit is the Dragon, graceful, strong, proud." She studied the girl for a moment. "Believe in your friends. They will come to your aid in the times to come."

She moved on to the next, smiling at the young girl comfortingly. "Trust in the power of your caring heart, Cassie. You are a natural-born empath. It is a rare and precious gift." She touched her shoulder lightly, being sure to keep her emotions calm and welcoming. "You only need a teacher, so that you may learn to control your abilities on your own. The Dolphin is your spirit, filled with life and laughter."

She turned from the stunned girl, heading for the boy beside her. "All Black Rangers find their art, Carlos. Have faith. The Iguana represents - "

"Weird reptiles?" Carlos grumbled, scowling.

She chuckled. "It represents confidence and guardianship."

"What does that mean?"

"You will understand when the time is right." She moved on as he gaped at her.

"Blues are strategists, T.J. Never forget that your mind works in ways no one else can comprehend. You are as steadfast and peaceful as the Rhinoceros."

He grinned at her, his confidence restored at last.

The Gold Star Ranger smirked, well aware of her Color. Dulcea frowned back, even as part of her was mildly amused by her insubordinance. "Yes, Litania. You are Purple, filled with a unique sense of honor and justice. You are crafty like the Fox."

Her smirk turned to a grin. "Stellar."

"Ashley, the curious, gentle healer. You are the Deer," she informed the brunette, receiving a bright smile.

Her smile was warm again as she went to the next boy. "Andros, courageous as any Red Ranger should be. You have overcome so many odds, refusing to lose your will to fight. You are the Phoenix.

"And Zhane, shining with the pure energy of the Light. You are Silver, lead by the free-spirited and independent Horse," she told the last, only to be given a sheepish smile in return.

There was several minutes of silence before Ashley finally worked up the courage to speak. "Not that we're unappreciative, but why did you need to give us Animal Spirits?" she asked curiously.

"For the strength required for this battle, you must have strength of heart ***and*** mind. You needed to discover for yourselves the reason you are here. I merely provided the means to guide your minds; each of you found your animal spirit on your own as proof that you are strong enough to overcome your fears. Everyone must follow their own path in this fight. Stay true to that, and you will succeed." Dulcea gave them all a warning look. "But remember; during your journey to the temple, you may not morph. To prove yourselves worthy of approaching the Temple, you must be in your natural forms."

"Why did you help all of us?" T.J. wanted to know.

She sighed. "Several reasons. As the guardian of these Sacred Grounds, it is my sworn duty to ensure that those who seek the temple are worthy." She paused before continuing. "I am also the Owl, wise and swift. By invoking the Owl spirit within me, I became a Ninjetti. Ninjetti Rangers, as any Rangers, serve the Powers of Light. While this is not a fight I may actively participate in, it is my duty to prepare you. And as a Ninjetti, it is my duty to help any who would avenge my team."

"What happened to them?" Litania asked with surprising gentleness.

"Lady Tearrah," she spat. She looked up at them abruptly, her gaze intense. "The Ninjetti Rangers were my family. In losing them, I have lost part of myself. Never hide your feelings from one another. It will be your undoing." She vanished into the night, leaving the startled Rangers alone.

Ashley glanced at Andros out of the corner of her eye. He had turned and was busy prodding telekinetically at the fire. He started when she carefully reached out to take his hand. He didn't look at her, but his hand wrapped around hers, giving a subtle squeeze.


	27. A Question of Trust

**Author's Notes/:** **Warning:** This chapter contains more references to attempted suicide.

Chapter 27:A Question of Trust

"I can't believe this," Carlos grumbled. "This is absolutely ridiculous."

"Phaedos does have really bizarre weather," Zhane offered.

The eight of them had huddled together in a small hollow in the rocks around the plateau. The rain poured down, wind whipping around them, while thunder and lightning occasionally lit the sky. It had begun early in the morning, forcing them to race for shelter, and had yet to let up. So they had been forced to cram themselves in, trying to keep warm.

"What are you guys doing?" Andros asked warily, watching Ashley and T.J. as they argued quietly.

They both looked up, exchanged glances, then gave sheepish smiles. "We're comparing who's vision was the weirdest," Ashley explained. "I was playing balloon volleyball with a deer."

Everyone blinked at her.

"I was surrounded by pink, listening to this voice telling me I'm an empath and Rangers can't afford to be skeptical," Cassie said after a moment. "I think it was my Animal Spirit."

"Same for me, except black," Carlos told them. "I kept hearing voices from my memories."

"I was traveling through my memories. Then I turned around and saw my Spirit Animal," Andros put in hesitantly.

Zhane grinned. "I was running, with people whispering around me. When I met my Spirit Animal, and she tried to throw me off her back 'cause I thought she was male."

That got a few laughs.

Litania shrugged, seeming subdued as she leaned on T.J. "I walked through a ballroom to three doors. My sister told me I had to chose."

T.J. waited for a moment in the following silence, letting the anticipation build. "I was playing baseball," he announced finally. "With Dimitria as the pitcher. Alpha was catching, and Divatox was the umpire. And at the end, a blue rhinoceros was standing in center field."

There was another long silence.

"Okay, you win," Carlos agreed begrudgingly.

"What about you?" Cassie asked, looking over at the Phantom Ranger.

She'd curled up in the farthest area in the back, seeming to ignore them all. She glanced up when Cassie spoke to her, just staring at her for several moments. "Memories," she murmured finally, so softly they could barely hear her. She shivered slightly as she traced the inside of a wrist.

Cassie's expression softened, and she moved closer to her. She ignored the way the other tensed when she approached, taking off the jacket of her Megaship uniform and wrapping it around the taller girl's shoulders. Without her armor, Phantom was left in only a cropped, sleeveless turtleneck, while everyone else except Litania wore the colored turtleneck and silver coat from their uniforms. The Purple Gold Star Ranger had snuggled against T.J. as soon as the storm had started up, half buried under his arm with his jacket around her.

Phantom shrugged off the coat immediately, her eyes narrowing. "I don't need your pity."

Cassie met her gaze, annoyed. "Trying to keep you from freezing to death isn't pity." She picked up the coat, trying to put it back on Phantom.

The taller girl moved to dodge. Cassie glared, and in a move Phantom wasn't expecting, simply tackled her. She forced the jacket around her, managing to put it on and button it during their struggle. She sat back at last, scowling with her hands on her hips. "Stop being stubborn. I'm just trying to help you."

"I don't need your help!" Phantom snarled, reaching up to remove the jacket again.

Cassie caught her hand. "So you can help us, but we're not good enough to help you when you need it?" she demanded angrily.

"Leave me alone!"

Cassie froze suddenly, her eyes slowly drifting down towards the wrist she was holding. Still gripping it tightly, she carefully turned it over. Phantom struggled, but her grip was firm.

She stared, her other hand coming up to slowly trace the scar along running along the vein. Her eyes narrowed again, and she snatched up the opposite wrist before Phantom could stop her. "Don't need help?" she whispered as her thumb touched a matching scar. She looked up, glaring angrily as her eyes filled with tears. "Leave you alone? How could you - how could you do this?"

Phantom finally managed to jerk away, her eyes blank and cold. "Don't touch me. My business is my own."

Everyone trying not to watch the scene before them flinched at the sound of the slap.

Cassie glared at Phantom as the other girl looked stunned. "Your business is just as much mine as it is yours! Ever since we met I've known how much I care about you, and I've never tried to hide it. You know perfectly well that I love you. I'm not going to let you freeze to death because of your pride, and I'm definitely not going to let anything like ***that*** - " she gestured furiously at her wrists, "Happen again. You're stuck with me, so get used to it."

Phantom stared as Cassie buttoned the coat again, tugging it firmly around her. Then she turned and sat herself firmly in the other girl's lap. She wrapped Phantom's arms around her, humphing indignantly as everyone else stared at them.

After a long silence, Andros coughed slightly. "Looks like the weather's finally clearing up. We should get moving."

Litania grumbled, snuggling against T.J. again.

T.J. flashed her a grin. "You know the sooner we find the temple, the sooner we can get back to the Megaship," he pointed out.

She sighed, looking up at him and pouting.

The grin widened. "Would it help if I let you keep my coat?"

"A little," she sighed, climbing to her feet at last. She paused, a wicked grin coming across her face. She turned to T.J. with a seductive smile. "How can I ever thank you for keeping me warm?" she purred.

The grin vanished, replaced by a nervous smile. "That's ... that's not necessary," he assured her. "I mean, we're all friends here, after all."

"But I want to." Before he could react, she leapt forward and threw her arms around his neck, knocking him back against the rocks behind him. She kissed him passionately, with enough heat to make him blush. Being that she had him effectively pinned, there wasn't much he could do until she let go at last, leaving him gasping for breath.

She smiled, running the back of her hand along his cheek. "I'll finish the rest when we get back to the Megaship," she assured him, her eyes promising more to come as she finally turned to head out.

"Rest?" he whimpered.

Cassie pulled Phantom up with her, still holding onto her hand as they moved out into the open air. When Phantom made as though to pull away, she squeezed tighter and shot her a warning look. "I meant everything I said," she told her quietly. "I've always known that there was something about you that meant we were supposed to be together. I don't care that you're a girl. That doesn't change anything."

Phantom stiffened, staring at her.

Slowly, Cassie's expression softened. "I don't know everything about you yet. I don't know why you don't want anyone to know who you are. But I do know that none of that is going to matter to me. You're you, and that's what I love." She squeezed her hand again, gentler this time. "I can just feel that your heart is good. That's enough. And I'm not letting you leave me again."

Phantom stood still when she started to pull her along again, tugging lightly on her hand in a request to stay. Cassie turned inquiringly, and they stared into one another's eyes for several moments. "My name is Ko-lin," Phantom said at last, her voice soft. "I am Ko-lin of Yu-tari."

Cassie smiled warmly. "Cassie Chan of Earth. It's nice to finally meet you."

* * *

"This forest is so beautiful," Ashley commented, taking a deep breath. "And the air is so fresh."

"Not like recycled Megaship air, right?" Zhane teased as he passed her, earning a swat.

"Beautiful or not, it's still dangerous," Andros reminded them all.

"Spoilsport," T.J. told him with a grin.

"I've never understood that phase."

"It means you can't relax and enjoy things like the rest of us," Litania called back over her shoulder. "Along the lines of a _doifuvn_."

Andros and Zhane both stopped and looked up at her sharply, Zhane's jaw dropping. "What did you just say?" the Silver Ranger demanded incredulously.

She shrugged, unconcerned. "It's the crudest way I know to say it, but it gets the point across. Andros needs to stop being so pessimistic."

"Being pessimistic is what keeps me alive," Andros muttered darkly, obviously offended.

Litania stopped with a sigh and turned around.

And suddenly she wasn't there anymore.

Andros blinked, rubbing at his eyes. No, it wasn't his imagination. They really had all vanished. "Guys?" he called hesitantly.

"Andros?" Ashley's voice was faint and slightly panicked. "Where are you?"

"I don't know. Where are you?"

"I haven't moved!"

"That's impossible!" came Carlos' voice. "***I*** haven't moved!"

"Can anyone see that?" Zhane asked.

"See what?" T.J. replied.

There was a sigh. "Nevermind."

"What is this?" Cassie asked worriedly. "I can't see any of you."

"I believe this would be another test." The Phantom Ranger's soft voice was even quieter than the rest.

"It's a test of trust," Litania spoke up. "We can't see each other, so we have no away of knowing if the voices we're hearing really are the people we think they are. You just have to trust that it is and keep moving."

Andros' eyes widened in realization. "Mirra."

"Mirra?" Ashley echoed.

"Oh, no," Zhane breathed. "Andros, no. We're not Mirra!"

"What's Mirra?" T.J. asked sharply.

"They're creatures that can mimic the face and voice of a person perfectly. There's no way to tell the difference." Zhane seemed to hesitate. "Andros was attacked by a group of Mirra, a long time ago."

"But they can't mimic everything!" Ashley protested. "They aren't mind readers!"

There was a pause. " Actually ... They are."

Andros shook his head slowly, shifting into a defensive stance. He could still remember those claws, tearing at his skin and reaching for his eyes. He wouldn't let them get him. Not again. "I won't let you get me again!" he shouted defiantly.

"It's me, Andros. Come on. You believe me, right?" Zhane pleaded.

"Andros!"

"Andros, no ... "

"Andros, we're you're friends!"

"Oh, grow up."

He paused.

"Litania!" T.J. scolded.

"You want proof I'm me, Andros? Well, I can't give it to you. You're just going to have to trust that it's me because I say it is. But I'm not going to let you have a panic attack and go running around Phaedos to get yourself killed. Deal with it."

Andros blinked, confused. Mirra lured their prey into a false sense of security by reassuring that they were the person they pretended to be. They didn't tell you to 'trust that it's me' and 'deal with it'. "What?" he asked hesitantly.

"Just because I think you need to lighten up doesn't mean I'm going to let you die. You may be a _grasq_, but you're still a decent guy."

After several moments of stunned silence, a voice began to sing softly. It wasn't the best; it seemed to be slightly off-key at times, but was still soothing somehow. "_Here I am standing in the night... My crescent wand, the only light ... _"

Carlos' voice groaned. "What is it with you and Sailormoon?"

"It's a good show," Ashley insisted. "Besides, the song fits for us, don't you think?"

"No. I refuse to let you turn Sailormoon into anything more than a cheesy girl's cartoon."

"It's not cheesy!" Ashley protested before continuing. "_Alone against my darkest fear, but I sense my friends are near ... _"

"You're right," T.J. admitted after a moment. "It does fit. We are facing our darkest fears, but we know that we're together."

She sang on, her voice growing more confident and strong. "_I'll draw from each the power I need. The evil Queen we will defeat!_"

"So who's our evil queen?" Carlos challenged.

She considered for a moment. "Well, Astronema's a princess."

Cassie giggled and began to join in harmony with Ashley's song, providing the backup vocals. "_Give me the strength to carry on ... With all our love, we can't go wrong!_"

"Cassie, I think I just lost all respect for you."

"_Only together we face the fi-ight ... Nothing can stand against our might!_" the girls sang together. "_Give me the strength to carry on ... _"

"_With all our love, we can't go wrong!_" Litania, Zhane, and T.J. added.

"Come on Teej, not you too ... "

Andros felt his lips twitch slightly as his body finally relaxed. Only his team. Only Ashley ... And in spite of himself, he joined in.

"_Only together we face the fi-ight,_" Phantom's soft voice was hard to hear, but it was still there.

"Come on, Carlos!" Ashley encouraged.

"Oh, for - "

"_Nothing can stand against our might!_" everyone cried.

"_With all our strength, the battle's won!_" Ashley sang.

"_With all our love, we can't go wrong!_" Cassie continued.

"_We have the strength to carry on ... _" they chorused.

And suddenly he could see them all again. Carlos was shaking his head in disgust, as though he hadn't actually joined in at the end. T.J. was grinning at Ashley as she bounced happily. Cassie smiled warmly up at Phantom, who had a soft expression on her face in return.

Litania was watching him. He stared back at her, unsure of what to say. "I still think you're a stick in dirt," she told him at last. "But that doesn't mean I don't like you. Especially not enough to let you get hurt."

Andros nodded, the corner of his mouth quirking into what could be the beginnings of a smile.

Everyone else's attention had finally turned to them. "You mean a stick in the mud?" T.J. asked tentatively, not entirely sure if he should say something.

"Is that what your planet calls it?" She tossed back her mass of curls. "I ***am*** a Purple Ranger, you know," she told the Kerovian airily.

Andros almost smiled again. "Yeah," he agreed. He paused, glancing at Zhane.

"Unfortunately," his friend put in immediately.

Litania glared. "_Unaha ka la niho._"

Zhane put a hand to his mouth in mock horror. "You shouldn't say things like that in polite company," he protested, though it was obvious he wasn't really offended.

"Are all people from other planets this weird?" Cassie asked rhetorically as they continued on their way. Zhane and Litania were still bickering, though it was quickly dissolving into good-natured teasing.

T.J. grinned at her. "Only the ones we meet."

"I wonder who's fault that is?" Andros murmured.

* * *

Ashley was walking along quietly, listening to Zhane and Litania argue over the differences in Kerovian and Satran cultures. She smiled as Litania made an argument that actually had Zhane pause to consider his response. They were fun to watch, even if they couldn't agree on anything. Andros and T.J. had both tried to stop them at some point, but had been forced to give up when they were nearly drawn into the dispute as well.

A soft growl to her right made her pause, turning to look. An animal sat just behind a tree, looking like an extremely fat purple snake with scaled rabbit ears on its head. It's orange eyes glittered in the shadows. It growled again, showing wickedly sharp fangs. That was all the warning she had before it charged at her.

With a cry to the others, she leapt into the air, flipping over it.

"What is that thing?" she heard Carlos demand.

"It's a Dramun!" Litania answered, sounding horrified.

"Run Ashley!" Andros cried. "Don't let it touch you!"

Unfortunately, the Dramun seemed dead set on her. She dodged and twisted away from it as best she could, but it didn't seem to want to give up. As she flipped out of the way yet again, she heard Zhane ask "But don't Dramun usually travel in packs?"

The tell-tale hiss to her left alerted her moments before a second Dramun struck, and she rolled, only to be grabbed and hoisted into the air by T.J. The Blue Ranger yelped and tossed her to Carlos before flipping after her as another one struck at where his feet had been.

"Run!" Litania shouted as Carlos set Ashley down, pushing at them both. Everyone bolted, racing to get away from the little beasts following them. They all knew the only thing keeping them ahead was their Ranger powers and the increased speed it gave them. The Dramun followed, intent on their prey.

One of the Dramun sprang forward, latching onto Carlos' sleeve. He yelled in alarm, trying to shake it off. Zhane turned and knocked it flying with a high kick. Part of Carlos' sleeve went with it, leaving a gaping hole, the edges sizzling with a strange liquid.

Just as they made it into a clearing, the Dramun suddenly backpedaled, shrieking at them before slithering away. The Rangers stared in surprise for a moment. Then Andros turned his attention back to Carlos and Zhane. "Carlos, get your jacket off," he ordered. "Make sure that you don't touch the hole. Zhane, get your boot off, now."

Carlos nodded in understanding, and quickly shrugged out of his coat.

Zhane, however, shook his head, grimacing in pain. "I can't," he managed. "It's already melded to my foot." He held it up for them to see. There was a wide strip running diagonally across his boot in which the sole had been burned away, the edges gluing themselves to the bottom of his exposed foot. The foot itself had turned a sickly purple and was swelling dramatically.

"Why did they just take off like that?" Ashley wondered aloud, staring back at where the Dramun had been before.

"Um, guys?"

Everyone glanced at Cassie, who merely pointed at the huge stone building before them. They stared.

"We've reached the temple," Litania said, awed.

"So how do we get the prophecy?" Zhane asked.

Andros shook his head. "It doesn't matter. We have to get you back to the ship ***now***."

Zhane stared at him incredulously. "We came all this way and now you want to just take off? We have to get the prophecy so we can stop the Dark Rangers!"

"If we don't get you back now you could loose your foot," Andros shot back. "And that's assuming the poison hasn't spread any further."

"It can wait a few more minutes!"

"No," T.J. spoke up. "If it's that serious, we can't wait."

"You've gotta be kidding me!"

"You're more important, Zhane," Ashley told him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"So we're all agreed?" Cassie asked.

Carlos and Phantom both nodded, and everyone looked at Litania. "Yes," she said immediately.

"Then it's settled," Andros agreed, reaching for his morpher. He was stopped by the sudden tremor that ran through the ground.

The temple opened, revealing the pedestal. The stone tablet above the pedestal glowed, and Litania went to it.

"_The Warrior to Protect It_

_The Commander to Choose Them_

_The Visionary to Seal Their Fates?_ What in the name of APG does that mean?" she demanded.

"We'll have to figure it out later," Andros spoke up.

She glanced back at them and nodded in agreement, stepping back off the pedestal. "Let's go."

* * *

In a nearby galaxy, the Dark Fortress circled, waiting. A strange, dark creature stood near a window, shutting down their monitor with a thoughtful expression. It turned to glance out the window, a cold and calculating smile drifting across its face. "So they've gathered the prophecy ... " it murmured. "This should make things ... interesting ... "


	28. Friends to Lovers

Chapter 28:Friends to Lovers

Rocky snoozed peacefully on the lower bunk of the room he was currently sharing with Adam and Carlos. The disastrous 'Crawl Space Incident' was something he only wanted to go through once. It'd taken him all day to get the grit out of his hair, and sometimes it felt like some of it was still there.

His peace was disturbed by someone settling down on the bed next to him. They adjusted themselves, and eventually curled up against him, their head on his chest. He smiled to himself as he wrapped an arm around him. Shy though he may be, Adam had always secretly loved to cuddle.

"Rocky?" Adam asked softly, breaking the silence.

Rocky groaned inwardly, recognizing the impending 'we need to talk' voice. Couldn't a person get some shuteye in their own room?

"We need to talk."

Apparently not. He still wasn't opening his eyes, darn it!

There was a sigh. "Will you please look at me? I'd like to know you're awake."

"I am awake," he grumbled, opening his eyes at last. He nearly flinched at the sight of Adam still curled up on his chest, watching him with those sad dark eyes. He didn't care what Kim and Jason claimed; Tommy had ***nothing*** on Adam's puppy dog face. "I'm listening. I promise. You can stop The Eyes now."

Adam humphed at him. "I wasn't using The Eyes. Why do you think I'm always trying to con you with my eyes?"

He bit back the argument he was about to start. "You either do it unconsciously or naturally. Either way, I'm listening. What's up?"

"You've been avoiding me."

He faked confusion. He didn't want to do this, not now. Then again, he'd never wanted to do it. He'd skillfully been dodging the topic since the day they came back from Phaedos, which was why he'd tried napping in the crawl space. And for a while, Adam had seemed to agree. "What do you mean?"

Adam sat up a little to glare at him. "Rocky ... " he warned.

"What?"

He huffed in frustration, and Rocky hid a smile. Adam was too cute sometimes. "Stop avoiding this Rocky! We need to talk about us."

"What about us?" He crossed his arms behind his head as he watched his frustrated friend. This was sorta fun.

Adam glared again. "How long?"

"How long what?"

"How long have you been in love with me?"

He paused to consider. It'd been so long he never really stopped to think about when it started. "Seems like forever," he mused. "I guess ... I started looking at you as more than a friend about the time we started training together."

"For the Ninja Competition?"

"No, training in general."

Adam stared at him. "When we were ***twelve***?"

He nodded. "There was just something about that time we spent together. I started thinking about you seriously pretty much right after we became Rangers."

"So it wasn't just about us being Rangers ... " Adam murmured.

"Is that why you asked?" Rocky wanted to know. It hurt a little, to think that Adam questioned their Soul Bond as being the only source of his feelings for him.

He looked back up, frowning. "No. I wanted to know how long you kept this from me."

Rocky winced slightly, averting his eyes. "A while," he granted.

"Why?"

The hurt in Adam's voice made him flinch. "I was scared." His voice was barely audible.

"Scared of what?"

"Losing you," he admitted. "I wanted to be with you so much ... but it wasn't worth losing you as a friend. Even if I couldn't have you the way I wanted, it was worth it to just be with you."

They both fell silent for awhile. Rocky still felt a bit ashamed for keeping such a huge secret from his best friend, and a little worried about what Adam was going to say. He'd meant what he said, but the feelings behind it were a lot stronger than the words. He couldn't stand the idea of being without Adam; it would be like loosing a part of himself. Rocky wasn't a coward, but some things frightened him immensely, and this was one of them.

Adam was silent for a different reason. Aisha had already told him her suspicions about him and Rocky; memories of her thinly veiled comments during some of their conversations now left him wondering if he was just really that oblivious. Tanya was never a love interest, just someone to keep from being lonely. She'd known from the beginning he didn't love her that way. She was searching for something in a relationship that she wasn't finding, and Adam had provided a good friend, a shoulder to cry on, and a companion for movies and events.

Apparently both girls had realized about him and Rocky long before he had any idea. Neither of them had told him until he confronted them on it; Aisha said he wasn't ready, and Tanya claimed it wasn't her place to get involved. They seemed to believe Adam was ... well, that he had an answer for him.

But he didn't.

Even if he had figured it out sooner, he would have been too shy to face him. Like Rocky, he'd hid behind their comfortable friendship, and later the responsibilities of a Ranger when Rocky left the team. To find out Rocky had loved him all this time was mind - boggling. To know that something so important had been happening to his friend, and he never realized ...

That, and the worth being with you comment was the sweetest thing anyone had ever said to him.

He opened his mouth to say something, only for both of them to look up in surprise as the door slid open. Carlos stood in the doorway, blinking at the sight of Rocky sprawled on his bunk, Adam leaning down over him. The Black Astro Ranger raised his hands in the air, backing away. "Sorry. I'll come back later."

"Wait!" Rocky called suddenly, sitting up. "I wanna ask you something."

Carlos looked at him warily. "What?"

Rocky fidgeted a little. "This ... " He gestured vaguely between Adam and himself. "Us, I mean ... we really don't ... bother you?"

His response was an odd look. "Why should it?"

Rocky blinked, frowning in confusion. "Huh?"

Carlos smiled slightly. "I've watched Cassie moon over the Phantom Ranger for over a year, and barely bat an eyelash over him turning out to be a girl. You two make more sense than that, because you've known each other even before we knew you. Besides, why would I be bothered by someone being in love?" Statement made, he retreated, shutting the door behind him.

Both boys blinked at where he'd been. "Oh," Rocky said at last.

Adam hesitated. "Rocky, I ... "

Rocky looked up with a gentle, understanding smile, but Adam could still read the pain in his eyes. "It's okay, Adam. I'm sorry about all this. I never wanted you to find out this way. I'm not expecting anything from you."

He frowned in suspicion. "Would you ever have told me, if it didn't come out now?"

Rocky looked away. "I don't know," he admitted softly.

There was a long silence.

Rocky started at the feeling his hand being squeezed, staring first at their linked hands, then slowly looking up to Adam's face. His eyes were questioning, but he didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what this was. They were on the edge of something important, and he still wasn't sure which way they were going to fall.

Adam's expression was uncertain, but he didn't let go of Rocky's hand. "I ... " He sighed and stared down at where he gripped tightly, took a slow breath, and forced himself to speak his thoughts. "I must really be as oblivious as everyone says I am," he murmured. "I never noticed. Maybe ... maybe I didn't want to notice. I don't know what to say to you, Rocky. This ... I don't know." He let out a soft, harsh laugh. "Aisha told me I already know my answer; I'm just scared of it. And she's right."

"Adam you don't have to - "

"Yes, I do. Before anything else Rocky, you're my best friend. You're closer to me than anyone else. In my visions ... the nightmare, and on Phaedos, I called you my other half. And you are. That ... that's something I don't want to lose. Without you ... "

"We lose our balance," Rocky agreed softly. He squeezed Adam's hand now, even as he wondered. This wasn't the conversation he'd expected. It wasn't even the one he'd dreamed of. This was ...

He didn't know what it was.

"I don't want to lose you," Adam whispered.

Rocky leaned forward immediately at the broken tone, wrapping his friend in a tight hug. "You won't," he assured him fiercely. "I need you just as much as you need me, you know."

He went abruptly still, staring straight ahead in wide-eyed shock.

Adam was blushing when he pulled back, but he forced himself to look at Rocky. "I can't tell you my answer yet," he said softly, guilt growing.

Rocky absently brought a hand up to touch his cheek as he finally looked at Adam. The smile that came over his face was warm, and his eyes echoing the same feeling. "You don't have to," he told him sincerely.

And this time, ***he*** kissed Adam.

* * *

Billy stared in fascination at the readouts D.E.C.A. was showing him. "These schematics are extraordinary." He looked up at the camera eye with something akin to awe. "D.E.C.A., you are truly a work of art."

"I am the result of teamwork between many skilled engineers," she replied modestly, but it was obvious she was pleased.

"I appreciate the opportunity to get to know you better, D.E.C.A. Thank you."

The camera bobbed once, D.E.C.A. practically preening at the attention. "It has been my pleasure, Billy."

"You two seem to be getting along well," came a soft voice.

Billy looked up, startled, to find Trini leaning in to study the console he was standing in front of. Her dark eyes skimmed along, while she reached up to casually brush her silky black hair away from her face. "This is amazing," she whispered, eyes widening in excitement. She brushed against his shoulder as she moved closer to see better, and he swallowed hard.

"Are you feeling well, Billy?" D.E.C.A. inquired. "Your body temperature has risen .5 degrees and climbing."

"I'm fine, D.E.C.A.," he managed.

Trini looked up at him, leaving their faces were inches apart. She reached up to his forehead, gently pressing the back of her hand to it. "You don't have a fever. Are you sure you're all right, Billy?" she asked, concerned. "Your head isn't bothering you anymore is it?"

He shook his head slightly. "No." His voice was far too soft for his liking.

They stared into one another's eyes for a moment. "Billy, can I ask you something?" Trini spoke up at last.

"Anything." He hoped that didn't sound as desperate as he thought it did.

"Why did you stop using big words?"

He blinked. That definitely wasn't what he'd been expecting her to say. "When you departed for the peace conference, I came to the realization that I would no longer have a translator. I was forced to simplify my methods of communication, so I could speak on my own behalf. It has only been through the past two years during my time on Aquitar that I have come to use my extensive vocabulary once again." He looked faintly guilty. "It is a habit I endeavor to drop, so that I will cease to confuse our companions."

"But I'm here now."

His heart began to pound as he reminded himself she didn't mean that the way he was hoping she did.

"And I don't plan on leaving again any time soon," she continued, reaching up to gently touch his cheek.

Then again, maybe she did.

"Trini ... " he trailed off, unsure exactly what he wanted to say.

"Yes, Billy," she answered softly.

"I ... "

Then someone leaned up or someone leaned down or both, he couldn't begin to tell. All he knew is now their lips were together and it was one of those perfect moments he'd heard Kim gush about when the world around them stood still. For once in his life, Billy didn't feel like analyzing anything.

They broke apart at last, staring at one another. "Billy, are you sure you don't love Cestria?" Trini asked.

He blinked again, once more thrown by her question. She was the only person who'd ever been able to deter his thoughts. "I assure you Trini, my feelings for Cestria are purely platonic."

"Good," she whispered, smiling at him.

"Why?"

"I love you, Billy."

It was what he wanted to hear, but even now he was afraid it wasn't true. "Me? But what about Ritchie, and - "

A finger settled over his lips. "You, Billy," she stated quietly. "No one else. I've never forgotten about you, and I don't want to. You've always been the one in my heart."

He continued to stare at her, then abruptly reached down and pinched himself.

She laughed, and he still thought it was one of the sweetest sounds he'd ever heard. "This isn't a dream." She leaned up and kissed him softly again.

He gave himself one more hard pinch as they pulled away from each other. Finding himself still where he was supposed to be, he smiled tentatively. "I've held in a desire to be in this situation for such a prolonged period of time, I would be most aggrieved to find it to indeed be merely derived from an unconscious state."

She chuckled, touching his cheek again as she leaned close to him again. "You have no idea how much I've missed hearing you techno-babble," she murmured.

He blushed. "I ... I love you, Trini."

Trini smiled at his nervousness. "I love you, too." She leaned up again, meeting his lips in another sweet, gentle kiss.

Blue and Yellow light shimmered unseen around them, and D.E.C.A. politely turned off the camera that had been monitoring them. Another pair peering around from further down the corridor quietly made themselves scarce.

* * *

"Well, that was ... " Aisha trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"Expected?" Zack asked with a grin. "Man, I've seen them coming for years. Jase will swear up and down he knew the day he met them. It's about time."

She smiled at that, but it faded quickly. "Yeah ... " she sighed.

He glanced at her. "What's wrong?"

She pondered a delicate way to put this, then decided there really wasn't one. "Is it just me, or is everyone on this ship pairing up?"

"Pahla did mention that Soul Bonded thing," Zack pointed out.

"Well, yeah, but why is everyone suddenly coupling now? I mean, is it just because she said something? Sure there was Tommy and Kim, and I could see a little of Billy and Trini, and Rocky and Adam I've seen coming since we were kids, but ... why all of a sudden?"

"Jealous?" he asked with a grin. He was starting to become pretty good friends with the former Yellow Ranger, being that as she'd put it, everyone else seemed to be pairing off. Not that he minded; Aisha was a great girl, and they got along well together. Their generally happy and cheerful personalities meshed nicely. He was expecting indignant denial at the joke; the last thing he thought he'd see was her turning her head and trying to hide a blush. "You ***are*** jealous!" he declared, surprised.

"Only a little," she protested. "It just seems like everyone's so happy, like things are perfect in their lives even though we're on a dangerous mission trying to rescue a friend who's trying to kill us, and save the universe. I just ... wanted to feel that, too." She plucked at her sleeve uncomfortably.

"That sounds like something Kim would say. I didn't figure you for a romantic," he teased.

Her head snapped up, and she glared at him. "Maybe there's more to me than you thought!" she snapped. She marched off down the hall angrily, leaving Zack gaping after her.

"Man, what'd I say?" he murmured.


	29. Broken Hearts

**Author's Notes/:** Side note ... In _Crown and Punishment _- the last episode of Operation Overdrive - did anyone else notice that most of the Rangers kept nailing the mutated Flurious in the crotch when they first attacked him one after another? o.O;;

The return of The Talk, albeit slightly edited. In otherwords, this is ***not*** the previous Talk. -Pauses- It is ***way*** too easy to write Tommy/Kim drama.

And more Prescott, because he's so popular. ^_~

Chapter 29:Broken Hearts

"Tommy?"

He looked up at the hesitant voice, smiling slightly when he saw Kimberly. "Hey, Kim." He cocked his head. "Where's the bird?"

She frowned. "***Prescott*** is napping in my room," she humphed at him. "And I still don't see what your problem with him is."

He rolled his eyes in response. "When ***Prescott*** stops having a problem with me, then we'll talk."

She bit her lip, hesitating before she forced herself to say it. "Tommy, we need to. Talk, I mean."

"Simudeck?" he offered, unsurprised. "I was headed there anyway."

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak just yet.

They walked down the hall in silence, both pondering how they were going to broach the subject. It needed to be done; that they knew. But it was going to be painful, and despite everything between them, neither one wanted to cause the other pain.

The Simudeck was in front of them faster than they'd expected, and he gestured for her to go first as he opened the door, ever the chivalrous one. She began to pace before she even realized it, looking up a few moments later as a hologram began to form around her. A bit of the color drained from her face as she recognized the park, the tall grass, the rocks, and the lake side she was standing at. She turned to stare at him, her eyes wide. "Tommy ... " Her voice sounded strangled somehow.

"Andros has been teaching me how to write Simudeck programs," he answered, watching her carefully. "This is where everything started, and where I went when it ended. It's only fitting to be here when it really ends, right?"

"Right," she whispered, swallowing hard. Did he have to put it that way?

"So?" He looked at her expectantly.

The painful pressure of two years apart built up inside her at that single word, and she found herself screaming at him in an instant. "So? Is that all you can say? So? We're supposed to be talking about something that ***I*** thought was one of the best times of our lives, but apparently it didn't mean that much to you!"

"Of course it meant something to me!" His voice rose to meet her challenge. "It meant everything to me! You were my first girlfriend! The first girl I ever really loved!"

"But not the last one, right?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't play innocent with me! I ***know*** you dated Kat! And she couldn't possibly be the only one!" This was wrong. This wasn't what she wanted to say.

But she couldn't stop.

"I dated Kat for two weeks! That's all!"

"Oh, please."

"That's when I realized I loved her like a best friend. ***That's*** all."

"I thought Jason was your best friend."

"Jason's more than a friend. He's my bro. And why are you dragging him into this?"

It slipped out before she could stop herself. "So you ***didn't*** date Jason after Kat?"

He gaped at her, and it took visible restraint to keep himself from slapping her right there. Chivalrous or not, he had one of the worst tempers of any Earth Ranger, and insults to his friends, three in particular, made him extremely protective. "Jason is my brother," he said at last, his voice low with suppressed anger. His fists were clenched so tightly they shook. "He's been there for me through everything, and I care about him ***like* **a brother. Kat's been my friend for years. My ***best*** friend. She's almost as close to me as Jason is, probably even more than you and I were. I've never looked at either of them as anything more than that."

The comment about being closer to Kat stung her pride, and she flung that pain back at him. "So you don't hide things from her, like you did with me?"

"What are you talking about? I told you everything!"

"You didn't tell me about the real reason you were always late! You never told me how you used to train in the middle of the night, plotting how you were going to defeat Rita and Goldar all by yourself! You never said how much you liked Kat flirting with you, or why you loved spending time with Jason, your ***bro***!" The last word came out more sarcastically than she'd intended.

"It all comes back to Jason and Kat, doesn't it?" His voice was surprisingly soft all of a sudden, and his eyes seemed to have a clarity to them that hadn't been there before.

She looked at him warily. "You said yourself they know you better than anyone. Better than I ever did." She wished that didn't sound so bitter.

He stepped forward, the strange look in his eyes making them seem brighter than before. She backed away for each step he took, until he had her trapped against a tree. "Kim." His voice was quiet, his eyes gazing into hers with a soft intensity that sent shivers down her spine.

She opened her mouth to say something, then found his lips on hers. Her body responded before her mind could catch up. The kiss was as soft and gentle as his voice had been, increasing in passion the longer it went on. Innocent as their kisses before had been in the sense that there was never any sexual tension involved, but more passionate, more desperate, as their hearts and bodies sought out the sensations their minds had tried so hard to forget.

She had never been able to control her body when her mind had been weakened. Defeated by Quantrons or face to face with the man she had once loved more than she'd ever known was possible, her heart took over. And each time, it reminded her that absence only made the heart grow fonder. No matter how hard she fought it, her heart was in control, and it was loud and clear in declaring what it wanted.

It was only lack of oxygen that made them separate in the end, and even so each was breathing heavily. Kimberly looked away, not wanting to look at the man she craved like air. Tommy on the other hand, watched her wonderingly, astounded by the intense feelings that had been relayed through a single kiss. He was now certain about the epiphany he'd had only moments before. It was so simple, so frustrating, so annoying, and yet so sad.

"You're jealous."

"What?"

"You're jealous," he repeated. "You're jealous and insecure. You afraid that I'll love someone more than I love you. You think Jason and Kat mean more to me than you do."

"I never said that." She hadn't meant for the protest to sound so weak.

"And I never said they did, either." He reached up to touch her cheek, forcing her to look at him when she tried to shy away. Their eyes caught and held at last. "Kimberly, I loved you more deeply and more intimately, than anyone - even our own friends - believed someone our age could. I knew what it was like to see my life flash before my eyes, what it was like to feel my own death coming. I knew who I wanted my last moments to be with, who I wanted to say I love you to before I died. Yeah, Jason was there, but it wasn't in the way you think it was. Jason is the brother I wanted before I ever knew I had one. He's more than a friend, but I don't love him in the same way as I love you. Jason is family to me, in a sense that I know he'll always be the one watching my back.

"You were everything to me, Kim. I wanted to marry you, and have a family together. I wanted you to be the one I went home with at night. I didn't need you to be my damsel in distress or my Juliet. I needed you to be the one to keep me out of the darkness, to bring me back to myself."

"I was your damsel in distress because it stopped those shadows in your eyes, Tommy," she told him, her voice so soft no one else would have heard it. "Whenever you got too caught up in the fight, whenever you started to focus on your revenge, I made sure you had something else to do, someone who needed you to protect them. There were times I hated myself for it, but I knew it had to be done. I felt like your Juliet, too. It was too wonderful to be scary, even if no one else understood just how much I loved you. I just knew that you were meant for me, and that was all that mattered."

"Then what changed?"

"Kat." She lowered her eyes guiltily. "I hate saying it, because it's not fair to her, but I saw how she looked at you. She's so pretty and sweet and nice, and she really did need someone to help her at first. Someone to look out for her. She was more of what you needed than I was. When everyone encouraged me to go to Florida, it just sort of hit home that she was the perfect replacement for me. I tried not to think about it while I was there, but I missed you so much it hurt." A hand drifted up to touch her heart at the remembered pain. She'd begun to have anxiety attacks and nightmares, wondering what was happening while she was away. Even the instinctive feeling that she would have known if Tommy was hurt didn't help. "In the end, I wanted to stop you from hurting as much as I did. I figured Kat was perfect. She'd protect you from that."

"That's a lie," Tommy said fiercely. She looked up to find tears sparkling in his eyes. "Kat's a nice girl, and she's been a great friend, but she's not better than you. That's not a fair comparison to either of you. You're completely different people. And yes, I hurt without you. I ***still*** hurt." He took the hand she'd put over her heart, moving it to touch his own chest. "It hurts every day I think about being without you. When those Quantrons brought you back to us, I hurt with you. I wanted to take your pain away and never let anyone get near you again."

Tears formed in her eyes as well. "I hurt, too," she whispered, her voice choked. "I hurt the moment I got on that plane, and it's never stopped hurting. They sent me to a doctor, because they were worried I was clinically depressed or something. I was so scared that something would happen to you while I wasn't there to help you. And so many things happened that I wasn't there for."

"Bad things happened," he agreed, unconsciously rubbing his thumb across the back of her hand as he kept it over his heart. Neither noticed, too busy staring into one another's eyes. "We lost the Ninja Powers, Jason got sick, and Billy moved away. But good things happened, too. I met my brother, David. I wanted you to meet him so bad, Kim. But I figured if I left you alone, at least until you finished the Pan Globals, you wouldn't be distracted with me."

"I was already distracted," she murmured, not really thinking about what she was saying. "I knew when Master Vile turned back time. No one else did, but I remembered. And when Billy left, I could feel how lonely you were. When Jason was sick, I could feel part of you dying with him. And when you met David, I was so happy I could burst. I didn't know what was happening, but I could feel you."

"Feel me?"

It was the surprise in his voice that startled her back to reality. "I could," she whispered, eyes widening as she realized it was true. "I could still feel you, every day. I knew what was happening to you. I just didn't know what it was."

They stared at one another. "You could feel my emotions?" he said at last.

She nodded. "I don't know how I know, but I do." The pain she'd felt so many times that wasn't really her own flooded back to her, and the tears finally fell. "I knew you were hurting and all I could think was I had to hurt you enough to make it stop."

"Kim, don't. Don't cry," he pleaded. He tried to wipe her tears away, but more took their place. "Kim, it's okay. It's past us now. We don't have to think about it anymore."

"But I do!" she sobbed. "I think about you every day! And I ***still*** feel you!"

Instinctively he pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. He rubbed her back, whispering soothing words in her ear to calm her. It was reflex, and he never stopped to think about what he was doing. It was all he knew to do.

She pulled back suddenly to stare at him. "What?" she gasped. "What did you say?"

He looked at her blankly. He hadn't really been thinking about what he'd said; the words had never been all that important.

She trembled in his arms. "You said I love you. Tommy, you can't! You - " She broke down, crying hysterically.

Alarmed, he pulled her close again. Once again acting on instinct, he surrendered to the feeling. He kissed her temple as he always would have done, holding her against him. "But I do." That same calm clarity settled over him, and he knew it was the truth. "I've never stopped loving you, Kim. I need you - I can't imagine existing without you. When Divatox kidnapped you, I was so panicked I threw myself into finding you two. If she'd taken anyone else, I would have been fine. But you and Jason are everything I've ever wanted. You were the first real friends I'd ever had, and more than that. When you left so quickly after the tournament, it hurt all over again. I wanted to talk to you, to at least try and be friends again. But it seemed like you didn't want that."

"I did," she choked out. "But I was so scared to talk to you. I knew if I saw you face to face I'd never be able to pretend I didn't love you." She drew in a shuddering breath, her voice suddenly sounding small. "I need you, too."

They were silent for awhile, him rocking her back and forth in his arms as she cried. Both were buried deep in their thoughts, but at the same time neither one wanted to let go. Even now, the thought of losing the other terrified them. It seemed no matter how hard they tried, their hearts were firmly tied to one another, and determined to remain that way.

Needless to say, it surprised him when Kimberly suddenly pulled away, shaking her head. "I can't do this."

"Kim?"

"Tommy ... " She closed her eyes, forcing herself to take her breath. When she opened them again, her eyes were pleading. "Don't misunderstand. I ***do*** love you, Tommy. I love you so much. But I can't just fall back into your arms like nothing ever happened."

"I don't understand ... "

More tears welled as she looked up into his hurt expression. "It's been two years, Tommy. I'm not the person I used to be anymore, and neither are you. We've both changed, and we can't just ignore that."

"I'm not ignoring it." He looked annoyed now. "But I don't see why you're acting like you're going to walk away from me again."

"I'm ***not*** walking away," she insisted. She sighed. There was no way he wouldn't take this wrong, and she knew it. "Tommy, when I left, I knew that anytime I needed help, all I had to do was call and you'd come running to protect me. I had to learn how to take care of myself all over again. And ... " She looked away, not wanting to see the look on his face. "And I don't want to go back to that." she finished softly.

There was a long silence.

"I see."

Her head snapped up in horror at his flat tone. "Tommy, I - "

He looked at her calmly, but his eyes were blank. "Don't worry, Kim. Like you said, we'll always be friends. And I'll always care about you." He turned abruptly and walked off.

"Tommy, no!" she cried. "That wasn't what I - "

The door to the Simudeck closed behind him, and she crumpled to the ground, sobbing into her hands.

* * *

Aisha stiffened as a hand settled on her shoulder. She grabbed it instinctively, spinning around to flip the person - and found herself face to face with Zack.

She sighed, moving to lean against the wall of the hallway she'd been wandering. "What?"

"I'm sorry if I upset you earlier. I wasn't trying to make fun of you," he told her sincerely.

She folded her arms. "Yeah, well I can have romantic thoughts, too," she humphed.

He tried unsuccessfully to hide a grin. "I know."

She glared at him, moving her hands to her hips. "I'll find my Soul Bond! Just you watch!"

He caught her arm as she turned to storm off again. "Aisha, wait," he pleaded. "Don't be mad."

"I don't like having my feelings made fun of, Zack."

"I wasn't trying to make fun of your feelings. I was just surprised that you didn't know already."

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Know what?"

He smiled. "Aisha, Pahla said that she, Ko-lin, Vengi, Litania, and Yasta are the off-planet Soul Bonded. She's with Jason, Ko-lin's obviously in love with Cassie, and Yasta's had her sights on Carlos since she showed up. Litania's always hitting on T.J., and if you think about it, Tanya's always off with Vengi. That means that you probably have a Soul Bond to someone from Earth."

"Maybe," she hedged. She wasn't quite sure where this was going, even though some part of her mind that sounded suspiciously like Rocky was lecturing that she should know by now.

"We've got Tommy with Kimberly, Billy and Trini, and Rocky and Adam. Ashley's with Andros, and I just don't see Kat that way. Who does that leave still available?"

"You and me."

The smile widened. "Yeah. And you're someone I can definitely see myself with." He leaned in and kissed her.

She found herself kissing back, her heart swelling with happiness at feeling of 'right' that coursed through her. Her mind wasn't flooded with such complexities, just a simple -(_ Oh_. )-

Unfortunately, the blur she saw out of the corner of her eye was a bit distracting.

She pulled back, turning to look. "Was that ... ?"

"Tommy?" Zack asked, frowning. "I thought I saw him and Kim going into the Simudeck together ... "

"That can't be good," she muttered. "I'll - "

"Talk to Kim?" he finished, flashing her a grin. "I'll defuse Kat and send her after Tommy."

She gave him an amused smile and shook her head. "Thanks, Zack."

"Hey, Kim ***is*** one of my best friends," he told her, the grin fading into seriousness. "But this is more of a girl's talk sort of thing."

She nodded, leaning up to give him another kiss. Flashing a warm smile, she hurried off to find Kimberly.


	30. Emotions

Chapter 30:Emotions

She sat in silence, staring out the window. Prescott had come to perch on her shoulder the moment she'd come into her room after dodging Aisha's ambush when she left the Simudeck. He made a cooing noise before rubbing his beak against her cheek again.

She reached up to stroke his crest, leaning her head against him. "I do love him, you know," she said softly.

The bird made a rude sort of caw, ruffling his feathers and looking agitated.

"Stop that." She tapped his beak lightly. "If you're staying with me, you're going to have to learn to like him."

There was another ruffling of feathers, followed by an irritated stare.

She sighed. "I used to talk all the time, you know. I'd talk to him for hours, about absolutely nothing. And he'd just listen." She laughed abruptly. "I was such a bubblehead."

Prescott squawked, tugging at her hair with his beak.

She smiled sadly at him. "Thanks, but it ***is*** true. I didn't know a lot back then. I just loved the way he'd listen to me. Even if he didn't have a clue what I was talking about, he'd pretend he did and just smile." She sighed again, shaking her head. After a moment she wiped roughly at her eyes.

There was another gentle cooing noise, and he nuzzled her cheek.

She stroked him again. "I've cried over this so many times I'm surprised I can still see," she murmured. "But I promised myself. No matter how much it hurts, I can't break that promise."

"Promised what?"

She stiffened, even as she realized she shouldn't be surprised.

Prescott immediately started to act up on her behalf, squawking angrily at their visitor and snapping his beak alarmingly close to her ear.

"Stop it," she murmured, petting his head gently. "She hasn't done anything."

He settled, but his sharp gaze did not move away from the intruder.

She sighed. "When I moved to Florida, I realized how much I'd come to depend on Tommy. He walked me to and from school, we did our homework together, fought together ... He always backed me up. If I needed someone to talk to, all I had to do was turn around or pick up the phone."

Prescott cooed worriedly at her dejected tone, cuddling to her again, and she returned to stroking his crest. "That first night I was at The Center, I needed help lifting a box so I could get unpacked. You know what I did? I said, 'Tommy, can you give me a hand with this?'." She laughed harshly. "It wasn't until I started to ask what he was doing that I realized why he hadn't come to help me yet. Because he wasn't there."

"That was when the depression set in?"

She nodded, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "After my therapist convinced me to write the letter, I realized that I had finally sent him away. He wouldn't be there to help me anymore. So I had to learn to take care of myself again.

"I wasn't always dependent on Tommy, you know. Before I knew him, I had to hold my own just like the others did. Even after he joined us, it wasn't really until he became the White Ranger. I started calling for him because I realized he was turning into some sort of ... berserker, almost. So I called for him to distract him, give him something else to worry about. Then it became habit, then ... " She sighed again. "Then it started to be necessary. When I was losing my Powers, I was so happy to have him there to protect me. I felt safe, and taken care of. Exactly the way I shouldn't."

"Shouldn't?"

"I was a Power Ranger. I'm supposed to be the one protecting everyone ***else***, not ***being*** protected. And when I wasn't being protected anymore, I started feeling ... Stronger, I guess. More like myself." A faint smile drifted across her face. "Some of the girls from The Center dragged me out to a movie one night, and we almost got mugged. I beat the guy up before he could lay a hand on anyone. It felt so ***good*** to protect them." She shivered, rubbing her arms.

"When Tommy said he still loved me, and he wanted to be with me again, I was so happy. I ***do*** love him, despite everything. And I don't like hurting him. But ... " She closed her eyes. "I promised myself after I broke up with Tommy that I'd learn to take care of myself again, and depend on myself without anyone's help. I finally did that. I can't let myself just fall back into Tommy's arms. The kind of relationship I want now is ... " Another sigh. "I was trying to explain that I wanted to feel like we were partners, not that he was taking care of me. But he didn't understand. And then he ... he said that we'd always be friends." She laughed again. "I deserved that one, didn't I?"

Arms hugged her from behind. "No. Neither of you have ever deserved any of this."

"I thought you said you'd destroy me if I hurt him again."

"I would, but you've already hurt yourself more than I ever could," Kat informed her. "Now, I'm going to talk to Tommy, and see if I can straighten out this whole mess. ***You*** are going to take a bubble bath."

She gave her an amused look. "A bubble bath?"

"There's no better way to cheer up," Kat affirmed with a nod. "And once we've all calmed down, things won't seem so bad."

Kimberly threw her arms around her, sniffling. "You are absolutely amazing, Kat," she murmured.

Kat squeezed back. "I'm your friend, Kim," she reminded her gently.

A warm smile spread across the other girl's face. "Yeah," she chuckled. "You are."

* * *

Cassie leaned against the wall of the Megalift as the doors shut again, forcing herself to breathe. Okay, so going to her room was out. There was enough emotional backlash in there that she could feel it in the hallway.

She made a face. Even becoming the Pink Ranger hadn't left her feeling so out of control. She wasn't sure if it was a result of being around Kimberly, who was just naturally an emotional person, or left over from what Demoness had done to her. Either way, it was ***painful***.

The doors slid open again, and she froze at the sight of Ko-lin staring at her. " ... Hi." she managed at last.

Ko-lin seemed to hesitate, then suddenly frowned. "Are you all right?" she asked quietly.

'Sure' was on the tip of her tongue. She looked into Ko-lin's eyes and found herself sighing. "No."

Ko-lin stepped closer, the doors finally shutting behind her. "What is it?"

She gave her a tired smile. "Whatever Kimberly was trying to accomplish today backfired."

To her surprise, Ko-lin reached for the hand she'd clenched over her heart. She hesitated for a brief moment, then suddenly pulled Cassie against her chest. A hand came up to stroke her hair.

She let out a contented sigh almost without realizing it. Ko-lin's emotional wall was heaven in comparison to Kimberly's riot of feelings. She snuggled closer, burying her face in the other girl's shirt. "Thanks," she murmured.

" ... You could stay with me. Us," Ko-lin corrected awkwardly as she looked up. "Pahla. And I. If Kimberly continues to bother you, I mean."

Cassie smiled, a warm feeling settling over her. She leaned up and kissed Ko-lin gently, taking the time to wait for a response before she pulled away. She grinned at the faint blush that stained the other girl's cheeks. "Do I make you nervous?" she teased.

Ko-lin looked at her for a long moment. "Yes," she whispered at last, a pained look in her eyes. "You terrify me."

Cassie's eyes widened at her despairing tone. "Ko-lin ... "

"And yet I find I love you for it," she continued softly.

The sudden smile that came over Cassie's face was radiant. "I love you, too." She leaned up, wrapping her arms around her neck and kissing her deeply.

The doors to the Megalift slid open.

"Oh, for - is ***everyone*** on this ship hooking up?" Zhane threw his hands in the air and stormed off, the doors closing once again behind him.

The couple still wrapped up in each other's arms never noticed.

* * *

Kat approached him cautiously. She wasn't quite sure what to expect in this situation. "Tommy?" she asked hesitantly.

"She didn't want me."

She winced at the broken tone.

"I told her I loved her. She said she loved me, too. Told me how much she missed me. And then she said she couldn't do this." He laughed bitterly. "Loves me a lot, apparently."

"Tommy ... "

He turned to her. He didn't have tears in his eyes, but the devastated look in them was more than enough to tell her how he was feeling. Wordlessly, she reached up and pulled him into her arms.

There were a lot of things she could say, but they wouldn't mean anything. When Kimberly had first dumped him, she'd tried so hard to make him feel better, doing everything she could think of. But now that she knew him, ***really*** knew him, she knew that nothing she could say or do right now would make this better.

So she held him, rubbing his back and letting him bury his head in her shoulder. He didn't cry; he'd told her once when she'd accused him of holding in his emotions that his tear ducts had been damaged when he was younger. He ***couldn't*** cry, even if he'd wanted to. Instead his shoulder shook with silent sobs, conveying the loss and hurt.

Instead, she cried for him.

* * *

He stared at his hands, flexing them almost absently. They were stronger, yes, but different, too. He allowed the black lightning to flare to life, crackling along his fingers and back into his hands.

To be honest, he felt different all around. Not just physically; with height, his strength and dexterity had increased as well. Almost like a more permanent form of morphing, but without the suit.

He felt ... not invincible. Powerful. He knew with utter certainty he could destroy anything he cared to.

But for some reason, he hadn't.

At first, he'd wanted to punish them. Wanted Tommy dead and gutted, displayed for all to see. But now ...

He'd reminded himself several times that he needed to make a move. He'd allowed the other Dark Rangers to run around, wasting their time and energy with pointless endeavors. If Zedd crowed about his conquest of that iceball Icindra one more time ...

But he had stayed with Astronema on the Dark Fortress, traveling with no particular destination as he trained. If he didn't prove that he was serious, those stupid Rangers would never leave him alone. And quite frankly, they were out of his life and over with.

-( _Just like they wanted _... )- a part of his subconscious whispered darkly, and he scowled in agreement. Just couldn't stand him, could they? Couldn't wait to get rid of him, and now that he was strong enough not to need them anymore, they were clamoring for his attention again.

His eyes narrowed. Well, he certainly didn't need ***them*** anymore, and they could just go to hell.

-( _We could always send them there_. )-

He paused, looking around warily. The voice in his head had been his, but that didn't necessarily mean he was alone. And he certainly wouldn't put it past one of his 'companions' to try and tamper with his thoughts.

He seemed to be alone, but the thought wasn't like him. He hated the Rangers, hated them with all of his being. After they'd ... His fists clenched in memory, lightning sparkling around them once more.

But then as much as he hated them, he really just wanted them to stay away from him. The moment he accepted their claims of friendship and agreed to go back with them, he'd only be abandoned again. They had too much in their lives already to really include him. They'd only followed him because they felt guilty. As soon as he 'forgave' them, things would go right back to the way they were.

With him sitting in the shelter, miserable and alone.

No. Never again. He'd never go back to that life. They'd have to kill him first.

He glanced up, his eyes studying the stars as Dark Fortress floated calmly through space. He could be a king among those stars. He had the power, the knowledge, and the ability. He could conquer them, and force everyone to bow at his feet.

He shook his head once, stood, and headed toward the training room. He could use a good workout.

In the shadows of the room behind him, Vengeance snarled his frustration.


	31. New Goals

**Author's Notes/:** If anyone wonders what 'promise' Rocky is thinking of, it's a reference to my other fic, _Blue to Blue_. Rocky will make a lot more sense in the future if you've read that one. -Shameless self-plug-

Chapter 31:New Goals

_Courage learns Cruelty, Fighter to Sorceress_

_Commander to Mercenary, Artist then Destroyer, Spirit turns Killer_

_Honor fades to Thievery, Healing gives Pain, Heart comes to Hate_

_Knowledge faces Betrayal, and Light turns to Darkness_

_The Rainbow falls Dark and uses the Power of Light to Energize_

_Chaos engulfs the universes_

_Many will fight the Dark Rainbow, all will fail_

_The Rainbow rules supreme_

_Purest hearts to prove their worth, Darkest hearts with Tainted Power_

_Power of the Many to the Chosen_

_Ranger against Ranger, friend against friend, love against love_

_Four Keys of Salvation and hearts destined to be, to draw back the Power of Light_

_One Light Lost brings two Lights Gained_

_Many Bonds broken, both sides will Lose_

_Truth and Love reawaken the center_

_The Rainbow rules supreme_

_The Warrior to Protect It_

_The Commander to Choose Them_

_The Visionary to Seal Their Fates_

Litania stepped back from the console as she finished entering in the last piece of information the temple had given them. "Is anyone else as lost as I am?" she asked, glancing around. The bridge was more than a little crowded with everyone trying to squeeze in, but they had all agreed to work on the prophecy together.

"Well, we know the first part has already happened," Kimberly spoke up. "All the colors have turned, and they took the Power from us."

"Many have fought them, and all failed," Pahla agreed softly. Jason glanced down at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, giving her a squeeze. She looked up and gave him a faint smile.

"A portion of the second part has been completed," Billy commented. Then he frowned. "We journeyed to prove our worth, but we never received the Power or found the Chosen."

"What's the Power of the Many part?" Adam asked. "And who are the Chosen who get more Power?"

"We have the Power of the Many here," Vengi told him. "Many Ranger Teams gathered together, rather than one. Rangers don't usually fight this way."

"That explains why Zordon was so reluctant to call for the Rangers of Aquitar," Kat murmured, remembering.

"But what about the Chosen ?" Tanya asked, cocking her head at Vengi.

He smiled slightly at her in return. "You are Zordon's children."

"And Dimitria's," T.J. said without thinking. Then his eyes widened. "Dimitria!" He ran to the communications console.

Andros watched him warily. "T.J.?"

"In my vision I talked to Dimitria and she called us her children. But that's not the point now. She went to try and help Zordon, right? What happened to her after that? What if she's still out there?"

"She might be able to help us," Ashley realized, hope dawning in her eyes.

"It's worth looking for her, isn't it?"

They all watched him for a moment. "So that brings us up to the third line," Cassie said finally. "Ranger against Ranger I get, and friend against friend, but what does love against love mean?"

"A fight between Soul Bonded," Pahla told her. "Four of the Dark Rangers have Soul Bonded still on the side of Light."

"So some of them have evil Soul Bonded?" Trini asked.

She nodded. "Lord Zedd was Bonded to Rita Repulsa, Goldar to Divatox, and Lady Tearrah to Spectra. Lady Tearrah was the one who turned Spectra."

Kat stared at her incredulously. "Goldar and Divatox?"

Rocky wrinkled his nose in agreement. "Ew."

"So that must mean the Soul Bonded are the Keys of Salvation and hearts destined to be," Billy declared, ignoring them.

"But how do Truth and Love reawaken the center?" Zack asked.

"That demon!" Aisha said suddenly, her eyes lighting up in realization. "The one that turned Justin! Vengeance? He's the one that started all this!"

"So he's the center?" He frowned. "But how do we defeat him?"

"What about 'Many Bonds broken, both sides will Lose' and 'One Light Lost brings two Lights Gained'?" Tommy asked, frowning as well. "I really don't like the sound of those."

"And what does the last part have to do with any of it?" Carlos demanded. "It doesn't even fit in with the rest of the prophecy."

"Maybe it's a clue to who the Chosen really are?" Adam guessed.

Everyone was quiet for several minutes.

Finally Jason spoke. "We'll just have to handle things as they come, and watch out for each other in the meantime."

There were several nods of agreement, though no one could get the warnings out of their mind.

"That reminds me ... " Zack said suddenly, smirking at Billy. "Didn't you say something about explaining how you're a politician at a gathering of affected parties?"

Billy flushed. "I, um ... suppose I did." he admitted reluctantly.

Tommy looked at him oddly. "You're a politician?"

Zhane glanced around the room, seeming confused. "None of you know your own lord?" he asked incredulously.

"Lord?" Kimberly repeated, bewildered.

Billy sank into a chair, burying his face in his hands with a groan. "This is a gross misinterpretation of communication between civilizations," he muttered into his fingers.

Trini rubbed his back soothingly, trying unsuccessfully not to smile. "What sort of problem with cultural differences?"

He sighed. "During my tenure on Aquitar, I was given a position in the APG as the diplomatic liaison of Earth in place of the Rangers of Aquitar. It is generally accepted within the APG that a diplomatic liaison is the monarch of the appropriate planet. Therefore, it has come to a general belief that ***I*** ... am the ... representative ... sovereign ... " He trailed off into an uncomfortable murmur.

Trini started to laugh. "Oh, Billy ... "

He peeked out from between his fingers to give her a disgruntled look.

She shook her head, grinning at everyone as they stared at her oddly. "Everyone thinks that because Billy is Earth's representative, he's the ***lord*** of Earth," she told them, patting her boyfriend's shoulder soothingly as she giggled.

Andros frowned. "Isn't he?"

"Earth isn't ruled by a single person," she explained to him as comprehension dawned on the rest. "And actually, Billy isn't a ruler of anything."

"Which is why I have repeatedly requested that you do ***not*** call me 'lord'," Billy agreed.

"Oh, I don't know ... " Kimberly said with a mischievous grin. "'Lord Billy' is kinda catchy."

Jason started to snicker as Billy glared at her. "Yeah, bro. I think I like it."

"It fits you so well!" Zack chortled.

Soon almost everyone was laughing. Most of non-Earth Rangers watched them in confusion, not understanding what was so funny; Litania laughed along with them for no apparent reason. Billy looked annoyed, but a faint smile began to grow on his face as Trini gave him an apologetic hug.

Eventually the laughter began to trail off, leaving everyone grinning at one another. The silence lingered.

"So ... what do we do now?" Rocky asked finally.

No one answered him as the last of the amusement swiftly faded. No one ***had*** an answer. No one knew what to do next. More frightening than that was the fact that there was no one to tell them what their next move was. T.J. may be right that Dimitria was somewhere in space, but who knew where she was? What said she would be any help at all?

"Hvaenal."

Everyone looked at Zhane, leaning against the navigation console.

"Hvaenal?" Ashley echoed uncertainly.

"Hvaenal," he repeated firmly.

Litania regarded him skeptically. "Why would you want to go to that dustball?"

He shot her a mildly annoyed look for the insult. "Because that's where the Kerova morphers were made."

Pahla, Billy, and Vengi stared at him like he'd just announced he knew Zordon's exact location. "You know a Power Smith? And he's still alive?" Billy demanded.

Zhane shrugged. "I know ***of*** one," he corrected. "But I haven't seen him in years. I remembered Mother telling me about him while we were on Phaedos. I don't know for sure if he's alive, but I doubt Seolfer would have reminded me if it wasn't important."

Yasta blinked at him. "See ... ol ... fur?" she repeated slowly.

"It means silver," Andros answered her, looking at his friend oddly.

"My spirit animal's name," Zhane informed them all. He shrugged again. "It seems rude to just call her 'Spirit Animal' or 'Spirit Horse'."

A smile slowly began to grow on Pahla's face. "A Power Smith," she whispered, her eyes beginning to shine.

"What's a Power Smith?" Jason asked, watching her excitement with a slight smile of his own.

"A person in relevant comparison to Earth's blacksmiths," Billy answered. "They possess the aptitude to create Morphers or Power Coins and manipulate the Power to bond them together. Ninjor was a Power Smith, for example. Unfortunately, due to the rarity of finding one with such abilities and the potential ally such a person could be, many are sought out for personal use by both allies of Light and Darkness. As such, they are quite reclusive."

Almost instinctively, Jason, Zack, Kimberly, and Tommy all looked at Trini. She smiled. "Making Morphers is a dangerous job, so they're hard to find."

Zack laughed suddenly and reached out to slap Billy hard on the shoulder, making him stumble in surprise. "Man, I never thought I'd miss Billy-speak. It's good to be confused again."

Andros cleared his throat. "There's one more thing." He glanced around at his teammates as everyone looked at him. "We've been discussing the situation at hand, and we realized none of you have really been prepared for space yet."

The former Rangers stared as Ashley and Cassie brought something out from the console it had been hidden under. Both girls were beaming, and each held a pile of fabric. A pile of silver fabric, with colors mixed in between.

"D.E.C.A. synthesized them," Ashley spoke up. She looked almost shy suddenly. "You don't ... have to, or anything. But we thought you all might like the chance to change clothes." They moved through the crowd, offering uniforms in the same style as what the Astro Rangers wore.

Cassie smiled sheepishly at Rocky, Adam, Aisha, Kat, and Tanya. "You guys were a little hard," she admitted. "We ended up deciding to stick with your original Morphin colors, from what you wore on Earth. But we also ... " She lifted the jacket to reveal a blue triangle embroidered on the shoulder just below one of the other patches. "I hope that's okay."

But Kat was already hugging her tightly. "Thanks, Cassie," she told her with a smile. "This is ... "

"Thank you," Tanya agreed, looking over her own jacket wonderingly.

"But that's not all," T.J. spoke up, smirking at them all from behind Cassie. He held out a box. "We're tired of trying to make sure we can contact and teleport everyone. Everybody grab your favorite Color."

Adam reached in, pulling out a black-banded, classic-style communicator. Slowly, he smiled. When he looked up, his eyes were somewhat misty. "Thank you."

"All of you," Tommy agreed, looking around the bridge at the Astro team.

Kimberly giggled suddenly, and a wave of happiness, love, and delight swept through them all. "I know this isn't the way we wanted things to happen, but I'm so glad we're all back together again!" she practically chirped, beaming.

Trini smiled as she strapped a yellow-banded communicator to her wrist. "It feels like coming home," she agreed.

"D.E.C.A., set in a course for Hvaenal," Andros announced, trying not to smile.

"Looks like things are finally getting back to the way they're supposed to be," Aisha declared, grinning.

"Maybe even better," Zack told her, his own grin accompanied by a hand reaching for hers.

Kimberly's smile dimmed slightly, and suddenly all of Tommy's attention was focused on Kat.

"Almost," Rocky murmured to himself, too soft to be heard. He watched the stars dissolve into streaks of light, his expression troubled. -( _I haven't forgotten my promise, Justin. I won't let you forget it, either_. )-

* * *

Cassie glanced up from her window perch of the observatory to see Carlos. "Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," she returned.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She smiled slightly. "I was thinking about Ko-lin."

"Are you sure it doesn't bother you that the Phantom Ranger turned out to be a girl?" he asked, unusually serious.

She gave him a dirty look. "I'm not that shallow, Carlos. And actually, my first thought when I saw her face was how beautiful she is." She turned to look out at the stars and sighed. "I just wish I knew why she's so quiet. It's like she's shy, but she's almost scared of us at the same time. Every time I think I'm getting through to her, she starts shutting me out again. I want to help her, but I don't know how." She glanced at him after a moment. "What about you?"

"Yasta," he admitted

She smiled at him. "You like her, don't you?"

He blushed. "I don't know. There's something about her. I just can't stop thinking about - "

"Lifemate!"

"Oof!" Carlos choked as the wind was knocked out of him. He looked down to see Yasta hugging him tightly, her tail swishing.

She looked up at him and beamed. "Lifemate gone. Yasta miss Lifemate!"

"Uh ... I missed you too." he told her, not entirely certain why. He absently wished the fluttery feeling in his stomach would go away.

Cassie grinned. "Well, I think I'll go get something to eat. You two have fun without me." She winked at Carlos as the door closed behind her.

Carlos shifted uncomfortably, glancing down at Yasta. She smiled back, her tail curling around him. "Uh ... Yasta ... " he began, not quite sure what to say.

"Yes?" she chirped.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't even know you."

Instantly her tail began to droop as her face fell. "Lifemate ... not want Yasta?" she asked softly.

The tone of her voice nearly broke his heart. "No, that's not what I meant!" he said quickly. "It's just ... I mean, you're supposed to be my Soul Bonded - Lifemate - whatever, but we don't know anything about each other besides that we're both Rangers."

Yasta blinked for a moment, then smiled faintly. "Yasta know Lifemate," she told him. "Yasta learn. Lifemate Earth Ranger, leave, go space."

He took a minute to process what she was trying to say. "But that doesn't tell you anything about what I'm like as a person."

She giggled softly. "Yasta know. Lifemate brave, loyal, caring, strong, want protect others." She smiled tentatively at him. "Everything Yasta want Lifemate."

He paused to consider this and found a smile creeping across his face in spite of himself. "Then with that logic, I know that you're brave, loyal, caring, sweet, strong, and you want to protect people." He gave her a half-grin. "Not to mention pretty."

She blushed, looking even cuter. "Lifemate tease Yasta!" she protested.

He touched her cheek gently, making her look up at him again. "I can't help it if I think it's true," he told her honestly. "But how about we learn a little more about each other?"

She smiled at him, her eyes shining with happiness. "Yasta like idea."

Black, Green, and Yellow light shimmered around them as they sat down together.

* * *

Kat stared down at the information D.E.C.A. was giving her. She'd been passing by the bridge when she'd been alerted that something unusual had been detected. Being that she was the only one still awake at this hour, she paused to investigate. "So this is a stasis pod?"

"Affirmative," D.E.C.A. informed her.

"And it's just drifting through space?"

"That is correct. Shall I teleport it to the hanger?"

"Of course! We can't just leave whoever they are out there."

"Teleporting," came the calm response.

Kat raced down to the hanger, wondering who D.E.C.A. had found. As she stood in the doorway, uncertainty arose. What if they were dangerous? Besides, this wasn't even her ship. What authority did she have?

Overcome by a sudden possessiveness, she found herself dragging the pod into a side door that D.E.C.A. had told her was a hyperlock chamber several days ago while she was exploring. She secured her prize, checking vitals and making sure it was safe. A code she'd never even known she knew was used to prevent D.E.C.A. from informing the other Rangers. Then the pod's discovery was encoded in the system, to ensure that no one would stumble upon it.

At last she paused, wiping the frost from the lid. The inside was hazy, but she was able to make out someone in white. "Who are you?" she whispered. Suddenly desiring nothing more than to go to bed, she turned and left, sealing the room behind her.


	32. Bribes

Chapter 32:Bribes

Zhane hesitated, staring at the door of the shack. It hadn't changed much from the last time he was here; made of aging wood and falling apart. There was finally a sheet over the hole in the roof, though it still didn't seem to be repaired. Looking at it now, he could still remember it then. Had ten years really gone by? He could still hear his mother's warning, and shuddered. "I hope he's wearing clothes this time," he muttered.

Ashley stared at him. "What did you say?"

He knocked loudly, hoping he was close enough to hear.

After a moment, the door cracked open. A large round eye peered out at them. A voice screamed, and the door slammed shut again.

Ashley blinked. "Zhane ... ?" she ventured tentatively.

Zhane didn't answer, too busy staring at the door as he thought. In an effort not to frighten Vylsn off, he'd only brought Ashley with him as a more soothing presence. Unfortunately, it seemed his paranoia had only increased in the time since Zhane had been here last. -( _What would Father do? _)- he wondered. Wait him out, he decided after a moment. But they didn't have time for that. He sifted through his memories of his family's dealings with Vylsn, trying to find the best way to get through to him. At last he settled for the quickest: Uncle Gian's response.

Ashley stared at him as he backed up a few steps. "Zhane, what are you ... ?" She paused as realization dawned, eyes widening. "Zhane, no. You can't - "

"We don't have time for diplomacy," he said shortly, and promptly kicked in the door.

There was an answering scream from somewhere inside, and he moved to catch Vylsn's tail before he could get out the window. He swung the reptilian creature around, throwing him against a wall and pinning him there. Vylsn screamed again, struggling, and tried to get free by breathing in his face.

Zhane choked. "Ugh! Lay off the Parn delicacies, Vylsn!" he groaned.

Vylsn paused, eyeing him suspiciously. "Who are you? How do you know me?"

"Zhane of KO-35." At the blank stare, he elaborated. "Iva's son."

Vylsn blinked. "Iva of KO-35? Blue Kerova Ranger? Weapon: Astral Ax; specialty: weapons; strategist, mechanic, pilot?"

He sighed in relief. "Yes. She brought me with her to ask you to upgrade the Kerova Morphers."

Vylsn considered this, looking him up and down. "Zhane of KO-35. Silver Astro Ranger. Weapon: Super Silverizer; specialty: individual Zord pilot; light vassal, hotdogger." His eyes narrowed again. "You used the morpher for Paux of KO-35, Silver Kerova Ranger. Weapon: Super Silverizer; specialty: aerobatic tricks; light vassal."

He nodded, slowly releasing him. "Yes. That's me." He turned to gesture toward his teammate. He knew it wasn't necessary, but it was polite, and Aunt had grilled diplomacy into his head. "And this is - "

"Ashley Renée Hammond of Earth, Yellow Astro Ranger. Weapon: Star Slinger; specialty: communications; healer. You use the Morpher for Mihel of KO-35, Yellow Astro Ranger. Weapon: Star Slinger; specialty: communications; healer, peacemaker. You are the former Yellow Turbo Ranger. Weapon: Turbo Star Chargers. The Turbo Morpher was created by Zordon of Eltar and his Zeo Rangers, originally for Tanya Desireé Sloan of Earth, former Yellow Turbo Ranger. Weapon: Turbo Star Chargers; specialty: communications. Also Yellow Zeo Ranger. Weapon: Zeo II Double-Clubs; specialty: communications; peacemaker."

Ashley stared at him. "How do you know all that?"

Vylsn humphed. "I'm busy. Go away." He waved a hand dismissively towards the door.

Zhane grit his teeth. Normally he didn't have much of a temper, but he was suffering from Power Withdrawal, his Morpher was in the hands of Darkness, and Vylsn was being even ruder than usual. He grabbed him and lifted him against the wall again. Vylsn wasn't light, and his long snout was far too close to Zhane's face for comfort, but right now he really didn't care. "You're about to be busy with something else," he growled. "The Astro Morphers need recharging, the Digimorpher's been stolen, and I have eleven former Rangers without any Powers who are about to get involved in an intergalactic war. I'm tired of being patient. You're going to help us whether you like it or not."

"Zhane!" Ashley scolded, tugging on his arm in a vain effort to force him to let go. "Zhane, stop it. You don't need to bully him into this!"

Vylsn met his stare. "Why should I help you?" he answered calmly. "Why should I get myself involved in a war that will only draw more attention to me? You have no respect for my work. No one ever does. What can you offer me?"

Zhane faltered. It had never occurred to him that Vylsn would actually refuse. He wasn't friendly in the slightest, and the Kerova Rangers themselves had complained about having to force him to help. But he wasn't evil; he had made some of the strongest Morphers in existence. Why ***wouldn't*** he help bring the Morpher he had made back to the side of Light? Why wouldn't he want to help save the universe?

Vylsn watched him, a slow toothy smile growing. "You don't have anything for me, do you?"

"What do you want?"

He turned to eye Ashley, who was looking at him pleadingly. "Make me an offer," he retorted.

She bit her lip anxiously. "I don't ... I don't know what you would want," she confessed. Her expression firmed. "I'll do whatever I can to get it for you, whatever it is."

Vylsn humphed again, turning his gaze back to Zhane. His eyes flickered down towards the hands holding him, then back up again. "This isn't the best way to convince me, either," he informed him pointedly.

Zhane dropped him numbly, his mind still searching for some sort of payment.

Vylsn dusted himself off, muttering darkly. At last he shuffled over to Ashley, moving oddly slow for something so large. He took her wrist and popped open the Morpher. His eyes narrowed as he inspected the contents. "Fool Rangers. Never listen, never listen at all," he grumbled. "Passing it off like some simple piece of machinery. No respect for what I do for them, no respect at all."

"What are you talking about?" Ashley asked hesitantly. She wasn't quite sure what to make of Vylsn. Zhane had warned her he was strange, but he didn't seem to be ... all there, really. It was a bizarre sight; he looked like nothing more than a crocodile standing upright on its back legs, wearing only a loincloth. He was so tall he barely missed the ceiling, and the tail behind him stuck straight out, nearly knocking a table over when he turned. And yet he poked the inside of her Morpher with his claw so gently it was disturbing.

Vylsn's eyes snapped back up to her. "Delicacies," he announced shortly. "I want delicacies. Lots of them."

"What kind?" Zhane asked warily.

"Something I've never had before." He waved a dismissive hand again. "Bring me back delicacies and these Rangers you want me to make. Your Astro Rangers, too. Bring them all, and lots of delicacies. I'll decide then." With that, he waddled off through the back door.

Zhane and Ashley looked at one another.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Andros asked suspiciously.

Zhane shrugged. "He's a Cessinoid. His idea of delicacies isn't ours."

"But ... these?"

All twenty-two of them had arms full of baskets with samples of every rare food D.E.C.A. had been able to give them. They ranged from caviar to something Billy said had to do with the excrement of a Gaesirion bug. No one had asked any more questions after that.

Now they stood in front of Vylsn's shack, trying to figure out who had a hand to open the door.

They needn't have worried. Vylsn opened it wide, smiling his toothy grin at them all and gesturing eagerly. "Come in, come in!" he proclaimed.

Cassie glanced at Ashley. "I thought you said he tried to run away from you guys."

"It's the food," Zhane answered for her, already walking up the stairs.

Tommy shivered as he looked around.

"Tommy?" Kat asked in concern. She didn't have a free hand, so she settled for turning slightly to touch his arm with her elbow.

"I can't explain it," he answered, still looking uncomfortably at the shack. "It just ... it feels weird."

Jason frowned, having overheard. "You okay, Bro? We can head back if you need to."

Tommy shook his head. "I'll be fine."

Pahla watched him with an odd expression for a moment. "Tommy?" she called suddenly.

He turned back to glance at her. "Yeah?"

"If it gets too strong, tell me."

He blinked, confused. "Uh ... sure."

She gave him a slight smile as she passed him to head inside.

Tommy frowned, eyeing the shack once more before walking in at last.

"Wow," Kat murmured.

"Fascinating," Billy agreed.

Carlos made a face. "Gross," he complained.

Vylsn had pounced on the baskets the moment they were inside, inhaling them without any concern for manners or politeness. He was halfway through one that no one had wanted to try and identify, and his delighted mutterings didn't make them want to know. The one time they had actually heard him, he was practically squealing "Xantar intestines!" over something he had proceeded to slurp like noodles.

Rocky sighed to himself as they watched Vylsn eat. Even if he didn't want what he was eating, this was making him hungry. He paused as he felt something pressed into his hand and looked down to find three packages of saltine crackers. His face lit up, and he turned to grin at his sort-of-boyfriend. "Thanks, Adam!"

Adam smiled. "I thought I'd better come prepared, knowing your stomach," he teased gently.

Aisha hid her grin behind her hand, exchanging knowing glances with Tanya.

Vylsn paused in his buffet to sniff the air. He turned slowly, his eyes settling on Rocky as he munched on his crackers. He was in front of him in an instant, sniffing at the packages still in his hand. He snatched them away, ignoring Rocky's protest of "Hey! Those are mine!", and popped them into his mouth, wrapping and all.

He licked his lips, looking thoughtful. "What are these?"

Kimberly raised an eyebrow as Rocky sulked over the loss of his snack. "They're called saltine crackers."

He grinned suddenly, turning to look at Zhane. "Bring me more of these ... saltine crackers ... and I'll make as many Morphers as you want."

Zack whooped, while everyone else let out sighs of relief.

"But my crackers ... " Rocky mourned.

* * *

Vylsn eyed Jason as he circled him. Jason in turn watched him warily. They'd brought him as many saltine crackers as D.E.C.A. could make, which were now piled in a corner of the room. After inhaling several packages - he still didn't seem to realize the plastic wrap wasn't part of the food - he'd begun to inspect them all as if checking out a piece of meat.

"You'll have to choose," Vylsn said abruptly. He glanced around. "All of you Earthians will." Then he humphed indignantly. "Passing around my hard work as though it were clothing, warping it, forcing it," he muttered darkly, sounding almost tearful. He shot a glare at Zhane. "Electrocuting it ... "

"Hey, it was an emergency!" Zhane protested. "It wasn't like I could come and find you, and then head back to Earth in time!"

"Choose what?" Trini asked cautiously.

He looked at her sharply. "Power type. Yours isn't as bad as some of them - " he cast another dark look at Tommy and Adam, "But you'll still have to decide. Do you want the Power of the Saber-Tooth Tiger or the Griffin? I can't make your Wildcat without a base, but I can add its strength. So you have to choose between the other two." He shot another glare at Adam and Aisha. "I don't make ***your*** true Colors, either," he practically sneered. "So you can't have them."

The pair in question exchanged slightly confused looks.

He turned to look the Astro Rangers up and down again. "And you'll have to keep what you have," he declared. "I'm not making those Turbo Morphers for you again. They weren't yours to begin with."

"What do you mean?" Carlos asked, frowning. He didn't like Vylsn's attitude, but he was curious.

"Those Turbo Morphers don't belong to any of you," Vylsn repeated, looking annoyed. "That Zordon didn't even make them right. And then he only gave one to the right vassal. But of course, that's why we're all here, isn't it?"

Everyone looked at him blankly.

"I want to be the Pink Dino Ranger again."

Vylsn's eyes snapped back to Kimberly. She didn't flinch at his sudden stare, meeting his gaze firmly. "I want to be the Pink Dino Ranger again," she repeated.

Trini smiled, coming up to take her arm. "I'd like to be the Yellow Dino Ranger."

Zack laughed. "Black Dino for me!"

"Blue Dino, please," Billy stated politely with a faint smile of his own.

Something about Jason just seemed suddenly at ease. "Red Dino," he said calmly, but his eyes seemed to sparkle.

Vylsn eyed them all thoughtfully. "Should have suspected," he murmured. "Team Bonds, and all that."

"Green Dino."

Everyone but Vylsn and the five Dino Rangers looked at Tommy in surprise. Trini gave him a warm smile, Zack grinned, Billy tried unsuccessfully to hide his own smile, and Kimberly positively beamed. The sudden calm around Jason settled even more, and while he didn't smile, his eyes were warm and accepting as he nodded.

Tommy paused, suddenly looking worried. "Can you ... can you make the Powers stronger this time? Permanent?"

Vylsn snorted. "Is Ninjor demented?" He huffed at the confused look he received in response. "Of course, of course. They'll all be stronger. They'll be ***made*** for you this time."

"What do you mean?" Tanya asked.

He glanced at her, then seemed to sigh. "Power Morphers aren't hand-me-downs. You can't just pass them along to the next person who wants one. A real, true, ***strong*** Morpher is made specifically for one person and one person alone. The person that was destined to have it. The one that Power chose, long before that person was even born. Not one of you has used your own true morpher." He paused. "Well, they have." He glanced toward Pahla and Yasta, giving them another one of his toothy smiles. "But the rest of you are using another's. That's why they're so weak."

Andros and Zhane exchanged glances. 'Weak'? Andros mouthed, raising an eyebrow.

"I'd like to be the Black Ninja Ranger," Adam said suddenly.

Aisha and Rocky both immediately smiled. "Three Ninjas!" they chorused.

Vylsn nodded absently, moving toward a door.

Tanya was silent for a long moment. "Kat?" she asked suddenly.

"Hmm?"

Tanya gave her a slight grin. "Seems like everyone else is grouping up. You wanna be Zeo Rangers together?"

She smiled back. "Zeo Rangers it is."

T.J. made a muffled noise of protest as a piece of blue fabric landed on his head.

"Put these on," Vylsn announced, tossing various articles of clothing around the room. "You need to reform your Color Bonds. And you Astro Rangers are about to have Withdrawal. I need someone to give me schematics for the Zords you want."

"I can do that," Billy volunteered.

"I'll help," Trini offered.

Carlos sighed. "I can probably do something."

"Good, good. Now change your clothing and get out of my way."


	33. Balance of Power

**Author's Notes/:** This has over one hundred reviews? -Blinks blankly- When did that happen? Wow ... Thanks everyone.

This chapter is in honor of _Of Love and Bunnies_, which reminded me how 'special' Tommy's relationship with Saba really was. ^_~

Chapter 33:Balance of Power

Tommy watched Vylsn as he muttered and fussed over something. He'd holed up in the backyard shortly after passing around the clothing, demanding that everyone stay out of his way. Tommy had obeyed at first, but something kept nagging at him. Finally he'd given up and come to find Vylsn himself.

"What is it?" Vylsn snapped suddenly.

He jumped. "Um ... I ... I just - "

"Out with it."

He took a breath to calm himself. This was ridiculous; he was nearly twenty years old, a Power Ranger for four and a half years, and here he was being intimidated by a crocodile with a bad attitude. "I wanted to ask you if it would be possible to have a weapon from another Power type as the Green Dino Ranger."

Vylsn turned to look at him, his stare unreadable.

"I still want to be the Green Dino Ranger," he hastened to add. "And I want the Dragon Dagger, not just because it controlled Dragonzord. It's just ... " He hesitated for a moment. "Saba," he finished helplessly.

"Saba?" Vylsn repeated skeptically.

"Saba was the talking sword I used as the White Thunder Ranger," he explained, suddenly feeling silly. "But he was more than that. Saba was ... ***is*** ... my friend. I don't feel right about just letting him go."

Vylsn watched him for a moment. "I can forge a sword for you," he said abruptly. "But you're on your own after that."

He blinked, confused. "Huh?"

Another impatient sigh. "I can channel the Power. I can't channel spirits. I'll make the vassal for you, but you have to summon the spirit on your own. The White Taeo Ranger should be able to help you find him." He paused, suddenly looking at him speculatively. "Come back to me when you're done speaking with her."

"Thank you," he told him politely, even as he wondered what he could possibly do for Vylsn. As he walked away, he stopped suddenly, chills running down his spine. He look around quickly, but all he could see was Vylsn working in the forge. He shook his head and went to find Pahla.

* * *

Pahla listened to his story quietly. She had merely followed him when he'd asked, telling Jason she'd return, and had waited while he explained his problem. When he finished, she smiled at his nervousness. "I would be delighted to help you find Saba's soul, Tommy."

He let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "Thank you."

She cocked her head. "You truly care for him, don't you?"

He looked embarrassed. "It took me awhile," he admitted. "At first, it was just weird. I mean ... my sword ***talked***. A lot." He made a face. "Saba never liked to be quiet unless it was absolutely necessary. But eventually I sort of got used to him." His face fell, guilt growing. "I never realized just how much I relied on him until he was gone. The Zeo Power Sword and Turbo Lightning Sword just weren't the same."

She reached out to pat his arm. "Call for me when Vylsn has created the blade, and I will help you."

He smiled gratefully. "Thanks."

She studied him for a moment. "Forgive me for asking this, but ... have you died before Tommy?"

He went still. "What?"

"I apologize," she said quickly. "That was too forward of me."

He was silent for a moment. "Why do you ask?"

She sighed softly, looking up at him. "Because you sense the energy of the Morphin Grid here."

"That's what that is?" He looked surprised.

She smiled faintly. "Yes. You have the ability to sense the pure energy, which is rare." She paused. "Those who sense the Morphin Grid are generally those who have seen it first hand."

He was quiet for awhile. "I was thirteen," he said at last. "I had some older friends back then, before I moved to Angel Grove. Someone was giving me a ride on his dirtbike. He lost control and ... " He looked away. "I remember seeing a lot of colors. And someone telling me it wasn't time yet. When I woke up, I was in the hospital."

She reached out to squeeze his hand. "That was the Morphin Grid," she told him gently. "Even though you were not yet a Ranger, you are still destined to be one. Therefore when you died, you found your way to the Grid. Now you are more closely connected to it than most. Those who have seen the Grid and returned have the ability to use the Grid. That is how Power Smiths come to be."

He stared. "Are you saying I could make Rangers?"

She laughed softly. "No. You do not have the experience nor the knowledge to make Coins or Morphers. But you can sense, absorb, and manipulate energy. That is what disturbs you about this place where the Power runs rampant, and what attracts Vylsn to you. He senses your connection, just as he senses the spirits of the Grid. That is how he knows all that he does."

Tommy blinked. "Oh."

She smiled. "Listen to him. He may seem strange to you, but he can teach you many things."

He looked at her, suddenly almost shy. "And when we leave here, will you help me?"

"I will do everything that I am able," she assured him.

His answering smile warmed her heart.

* * *

Vylsn ***was*** strange, Tommy had decided hours later. But he was learning a lot from him. He knew what the inside of a Power Coin looked like, what it was made of, and how it channeled the Power to begin with. He'd never been much of the mechanical type with the occasional exception of working on cars, but this was fascinating.

"Here." Vylsn shoved a coin into his hands.

Tommy blinked, looking at it more closely. The footprint of the Dragon was on it already, but from what he could tell it was still just a coin. The Green Power was ***there***, just not attached to it yet. "What do you want me to do?"

Vylsn looked annoyed that he hadn't caught on already. "Morph, of course. I need to see how much Power to channel and bond it to your spirit."

He blinked again. "Oh. Sure." He moved into the familiar pose, preparing to morph for the first time in over a year.

"Just be sure to scream if it hurts."

"It's Morphin Time! Dragonzord!"

There wasn't time to brace himself for the pain. It burned through him, setting his nerves on fire and sending adrenaline racing through him. He was screaming before he even realized it. -( _Too much! _)- he cried silently. -( _It's too much at once! I can't take this! It has to come slower! _)-

As if in response, the Power began to ease off, becoming more of a cool rush of energy rather than the intense fire from before. -( _That's it_, )- he coaxed -( _Not so intense_. )-

And suddenly it was there. That feeling of invincibility, strength and confidence. The welcoming roar of Dragonzord echoed through his mind, making him smile and send his own wave of welcome and greeting. Almost as if to not be outdone, he could hear the Falcon's call as well. He sent his thanks to both of his guardian spirits, and felt their happiness that he had finally achieved balance between them.

When he opened his eyes, his friends had all gathered around him. "Tommy?" Jason asked warily.

He grinned beneath his helmet. "Hey, Jase."

"We heard you screaming," Billy told him by way of explanation. He seemed bewildered.

"What's wrong?" he asked him, frowning.

Trini squeezed Billy's arm before she looked at the new Ranger. "We heard you screaming here, too," she informed him gently, reaching up to tap her temple.

"Oh." His eyes narrowed further. "But I'm not a telepath." He paused."Am I?"

"No," Pahla assured him. Her smile was gentle, but her eyes seemed amused. "However, the Bond between the six of you gives a sense of when one needs the others."

Jason raised an eyebrow at her. "More Bonds?"

"Tommy ... ?" Kimberly's voice was hesitant as she interrupted them, and she looked frightened.

He realized abruptly that she'd probably felt the pain and fear he'd been going through, and immediately felt guilty for not thinking to block that from her. "Sorry, Kim," he said stiffly. It was still hard to talk to her after their ... conversation.

He conveniently forgot that he didn't know how to block emotions.

Reaching up to remove his helmet, he was startled by how at ease he felt moving in his new Ranger uniform. There was a sense of comfort that hadn't been there before, which didn't fade when he went into Standby Mode. The Power of the Dragonzord was constant and steady in a way that he had never felt before. At the same time, he could still feel the keen eyes of the Falcon watching over him. It was incredible.

He tucked his helmet under an arm, grinning when everyone stared at him.

Kimberly smiled at him, but he could see that it didn't quite reach her eyes. "You're stronger now," she announced as she looked up at him.

He nodded. "Yeah. It's ... it's amazing. Nothing's ever felt like this before. I mean, the Zeo Crystal came close, but it just wasn't this ... "

"Intense?" Tanya offered.

"No, it's not like that at all," he insisted, shaking his head. "It's ... it's just ... warm.," he said for lack of better explanation. He sighed. "It's hard to put into words. I can feel Dragonzord's strength, but I can feel the Falcon, too." He paused, his eyes glazing over slightly as he tried to turn his senses inward. "And the Red Star is still here. They're all together now. They won't leave me again."

"They've bonded to your spirit now," Vylsn informed them all. He wasn't smiling, but he seemed pleased. "Your Power isn't dependent on the Coin. It's pure Morphin energy, but filtered through your Coin to ease the intensity. It's made for ***you*** this time, to fit your abilities and specialties."

"His abilities and specialties?" Adam asked curiously.

Vylsn looked at Tommy again, his eyes narrowing as he recited. "Weapons: Dragon Dagger, Saber; specialties: pilot, internal systems, hand-to-hand combat, sword fighting, energy manipulation; warrior, protector." He smiled suddenly. "Much better. Now your Power actually ***fits*** you." Then he paused. "Oh, and here."

Tommy blinked as the sword was shoved into his hand. It was the same style as the original Saba had been, but more streamlined. The hilt seemed more graceful somehow, the head less bulky. Now Saba's face rested just below the blade, rather than at the end of the hilt. He would finally stop complaining that Tommy's hand was in his way.

He smiled slowly, then looked up at Pahla with a hopeful expression.

She smiled back. "Come. Let us find a place where he will be able to hear our call."

* * *

Tommy sighed, feeling frustrated. "I'm sorry Pahla, but I just can't ***do*** this." He gestured to his attempt at a lotus position.

She frowned. "Do you mediate at all?"

"Well ... kind of. But it's more like ... " He sighed again, annoyed now. "Katas help me relax. Trini says it's a form of meditation, but it doesn't feel like one."

Pahla's smile was warm and gentle. "Do you not trust Trini's opinion?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then we must try another way," she soothed. "Forgive me for forcing my style upon you. You must do this kata if it will help you."

He sighed, gratefully heaving himself up from the ground. He'd never been the kind of person that could sit still for long periods of time. He took several deep breaths, pushing his irritation away and clearing his thoughts. The kata was almost instinctive now; a simple one, but one he'd been doing for as long as he'd been learning karate.

- _He was drifting in a cool mist. There was something ahead, but he was having trouble reaching it. "Saba!" he called out. "Saba, I need you!"_

_**What need would you have for this spirit, child?**_

_He clutched his head. The voice was painfully loud, echoing through his mind. "He's my partner," he ground out. "It's not the same without him. Not just fighting. Everything. I need him because he's my friend!"_

_There was silence._

_**The choice is not yours. Leave.**_

_"No, wait! I have to - just let me see him!"_ -

His eyes snapped open abruptly, chest heaving and head aching. He looked around, trying to reorient himself. The sky was dark now. He was still in standby mode, his helmet on the ground where he'd been sitting. Pahla was nearby, seeming stunned. When she saw him looking at her, she smiled.

Despair settled over him. He hadn't been able to do it. He couldn't even get near him. Saba was really gone, and he couldn't bring him back.

"I must say, this is far better than the last sword. That hand isn't in my way. Why Tommy, are you wearing green?"

He froze, looking down. Saba's red eyes blinked back at him.

A happy grin spread across his face. "Yeah, Saba. I'm the Green Dino Ranger," he laughed.

* * *

Zeus stared intently at the target before him, lifting his hand guns. He pointed them carefully, eyes focusing hard. He squinted, squeezed off a single shot from each gun, then lowered them, waiting impatiently. "Well?" he demanded.

"A perfect bull's-eye, my lord," Vengeance answered smoothly. "Both targets."

The targets had been eighty feet away.

He nodded, tossing the guns to a table. They were really only mock-ups of his Hand Blasters, but they served their purpose. His aim, while never bad, had increased to near perfection. He wouldn't be satisfied until he had nothing but absolute accuracy.

"Next."

A troop of Piranhatrons came out hesitantly. It was quickly becoming known that Zeus was relentless in his training, and none of his enemies, Quantron, Tenga, or Putty, made it out alive. He was vicious in his attacks, and refused to quit until he was the only one left standing. He was a perfectionist in all things, and his fighting skills were no exception.

Zeus didn't wait for his cue. He hadn't fought Piranhatrons yet - he hadn't faced them since the fall of the Power Chamber. Seeing them again brought the memories flooding back. He charged without warning, attacking with a silent fury he'd never displayed as a Ranger.

- _"We need to move on, Justin. Our time as Rangers is over now. It's someone else's turn."_

_"Someone else can look after you now."_

_"B - but you said ... you said Rangers are family!"_

_"It's not like we asked for a kid following us around. 'I'm the new Blue Ranger! Is that cool or what?' 'Can we do that again?' 'This is awesome!' Rocky was so much better at being a Ranger than you."_

_"The only thing you have going for you is your brain, and Billy's smarter than you are."_

_"But I didn't mean it! I couldn't help what I said! Something about the Power - "_

_"Stop blaming your shortcomings on everyone else. You suck and you know it."_

_"Let's get out of here. We've made our point."_

_"I thought you were my friends ... "_ -

- _Banging against the outer doors. Blasting noises. The doors coming open, and waves upon waves of Piranhatrons going through. He tried to fight them. Felt the injuries, his ribs bruised and body aching. _

_"Fight harder, Justin!"_

_"You're going to lose the battle for us!"_

_"I'm trying!" he gasped out, flinching as another fist struck his ribs._

_"You're supposed to be a genius. Why haven't you made some invention to get rid of them yet?"_

_"But I - "_

_"How did we get stuck with __***you***__?"_ -

- _"He can't go with you."_

_"Thank god."_

_"Good riddance."_

_He realized suddenly that he was completely alone. Everything he'd had was gone._ -

The memories raced through his mind, the pain he'd tried to bury rising to the surface anew. It was like reopening an old wound; the hurt was as fresh as it had been before, more so now that he'd nearly forgotten it. He focused that pain, putting it into his fists and feet. He struck again and again, his eyes glazing over with rage. He saw nothing but the memories, felt nothing but the need to free that pain from himself. The need to force that pain on another.

When his vision finally cleared, he stood in a pile of battered and broken Piranhatrons. None of the creatures were breathing. As he stared at them, the part of him that was still Justin flared to existence, horrified by what he'd done. He trembled, staring down at his hands, oily with the liquid that came from a bleeding Piranhatron.

He looked up, startled, at the sound of clapping. "Well done, Sire. Very well done," Vengeance told him approvingly.

Zeus took control again, nodding as his face firmed. "How long?" he demanded coolly.

"Two minutes."

He clucked his tongue disapprovingly. "I'm getting slow." Stepping over the crumpled bodies, he headed out.

Vengeance grinned darkly. "Very well done indeed, boy," he murmured, looking down at the mangled mess Zeus had left.

He failed to notice the single tear that had slipped down Zeus' cheek as he went.


	34. Power Ups

**Author's Notes/:** 'The Village People Zords' is yet another reference to Ellen Brand's Personality Conflicts, #29: Phantom Quest. And ... I couldn't help myself. *Grins*

Chapter 34:Power Ups

Jason surveyed the backyard, leaning lazily against a tree as he had been since the beginning of the afternoon. Kimberly had brought Prescott down to stretch his wings and was now playing fetch with the strange bird. Billy, Trini, and Carlos had bent their heads together over a pile of notes, arguing quietly. Zack, Kat, and Tanya were working out a dance routine together for no apparent reason at all, while Vengi watched them in amusement. A three-way sparring match had started up between Rocky, Adam, and Aisha. T.J. seemed to be attempting to meditate of all things, with Pahla trying to coach him through it. Phantom was listening to Cassie as she talked, a content expression on her face. Zhane and Litania were in the middle of some sort of debate that had Ashley and Yasta giggling. Andros was ignoring them all as he ran through a kata of his own. Or at least, that's what Jason thought he was doing. While it had the same idea, it didn't look like any kata he knew. Tommy was of course, still helping Vylsn, occasionally shooting dark looks up at Prescott.

"At last," Vylsn crowed.

Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to look at him. "What is it?" Kimberly asked, absently reaching up to stroke Prescott's crest as he landed on her shoulder.

"The Dino Coins are done," Tommy answered her, grinning.

Zack brightened. "Seriously?"

Jason rose to his feet, joining Zack, Trini, Billy, and Kimberly as they crowded around Tommy. He accepted the Coin he was passed, looking down at it curiously. The golden imprint of the Tyrannosaurus stared back at him, a glimmer of red sparkling across it. He could have sworn he heard a roar somewhere in the distance as he gripped it tighter in his hand.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Vylsn demanded. "Use them! Use them!"

The group glanced at one another, almost unconsciously falling back into the familiar stance as Kimberly lightly tossed Prescott back into the air. "It's Morphin Time!" Jason called.

"Dragonzord!"

"Mastodon!"

"Pterodactyl!"

"Triceratops!"

"Saber-tooth Tiger!"

"Tyrannosaurus!"

There was no way to put into words the feeling at that moment when the Power went rushing through all six of them at once. Morphing was always a fantastic experience, color and light flaring all around and filling you with energy. That sensation was still there, but now it was coupled with a feeling that as Tommy had said wasn't intense, but warm and soothing. Familiar calls of greeting echoed through their minds, the Dino Spirits calling welcome and joy for their return. The Animal Spirits joined in with assurances of strength and protection, greeting the three that hadn't felt their love and support as well as greeting the three that they were familiar with. Love and happiness swelled through the group, and while their helmets hid their faces from the everyone else, they knew that all of them were smiling, and that Kimberly wasn't the only one with tears in her eyes at the reunion.

While that moment of initial connection seemed to last forever to the six, mere seconds had passed in reality around them. Which is why Red Dino was so alarmed when he opened his eyes to see his Soul Bonded in tears. "Pahla?" He was at her side in an instant. "What is it? What's wrong?"

She smiled, trying to wipe at her eyes. "Forgive me. It's just ... so beautiful," she murmured.

"What is?" Aisha asked, touching her arm in concern.

"The colors," Kat murmured in awe.

Zhane nodded in agreement, a slightly wistful look on his face. "I almost forgot how incredible it could be to see a Team Bond Morph."

"That was wonderful ... " Cassie sighed in contentment, smiling softly as she leaned on the Phantom Ranger.

"I don't get it," Black Dino spoke up, looking around in confusion.

Pahla smiled at him, brushing away the last of her tears. "The six of you share a Team Bond," she explained softly. "You are connected to each other. When you Morphed, the Power reacted to all six of you on a more powerful level than an ordinary Morph. You connected your minds and hearts at that moment, along with your guardian spirits." She paused to shake her head at their confusion with another smile. "My explanations are long and confusing; I apologize. I have the ability to read auras. When you called the Power, there was a brilliant burst of colors and feelings in each of you. Zhane, Kat, and I saw the spiritual level you all connected at, while Cassie felt it empathically."

Pink Dino immediately spun to Cassie, horrified. "I'm so sorry!" she gasped.

Cassie shook her head, the smile on her face warming. "Don't be. It was amazing. I've never sensed anything like that before." She raised a hand to touch her heart. "It was one of the most beautiful things I've ever felt."

"Hey, Kim?" Red Dino asked carefully, reaching over to squeeze her shoulder. "You might wanna tone it down a bit. I can feel you from here."

She looked up at him in mild annoyance. "I'm not projecting. It's just you."

"No, it's not," Blue Dino sounded unnerved as he stared at her. "I can feel it, too. And as we are all well aware, I am psychically deaf."

She put her hands on her hips. "And I'm telling all of you, I'm not projecting!"

Everyone was startled out of the impending argument by the sound of Zhane's chuckles. He flashed Pink Dino a grin. "No, it's not you. At least not exactly. Being Team Bonded means you have a mental and psychic connection when you Morph. And since you're an empath, you're sharing that ability with everyone else now."

"How do you know all that?" Adam asked.

He smiled, and it was somewhat sad, amused, and fond all at once. "My family was the original Kerova Rangers of KO-35. They were Team Bonded, too."

"Where are they now?" Rocky asked curiously.

Zhane shrugged. "Don't know. They passed their Powers on just before Dark Spectre invaded KO-35. I went into cryo-sleep right after that, and no one heard from them. Either they died in the battle, or they're in hiding somewhere."

Litania regarded him with an oddly serious and understanding expression. "I'm sorry."

He flashed her a smile, but it was a weak copy of his usual grin. "If they're dead, it was the way they would have preferred. If they're not ... " The hesitation was barely noticeable, "Then they're probably hiding out somewhere while they work on a plan."

"Was your father the Silver Ranger, too?" Ashley asked softly, her eyes full of sympathy.

The grin was genuine this time. "Nope. Uncle Paux was Silver. My father was Yellow, actually. Mother was Blue. Uncle Gian was Red, his sister Aunt Bridret was Pink, and my mother's brother, Uncle Ligad, was Black. Uncle Paux was Father's brother," he added after a moment.

"A truly great legacy, to be born to such a family," Phantom's voice was barely audible.

Zhane looked up at her. "You knew them?"

She shook her head slightly. "Only by reputation. They were before my time. But I have heard many tales of their strength."

His smile was more fond now. "Which one? About how many times Uncle Ligad was caught by Senturions for speeding and destruction of intergalactic property? Uncle Gian's temper and how many fights it got him into? Father and Aunt's mission to help ***everyone*** in need?"

She cocked her head as she regarded him. "Actually, I had heard the Blue Ranger was the temperamental one. That, and that they came with two small children who were half the reason behind all the trouble the Kerova Rangers caused."

He laughed, a hand coming up to rub the back of his head sheepishly. "Uh, yeah. That would've been me and my sister. We did get the Rangers involved sometimes, but it wasn't always because of us. They just ... had that sort of luck, I guess."

"Bunch of weirdoes, all of them," Vylsn muttered as he went back to his forge.

"Why am I not surprised?" Carlos mused.

As the Dino Rangers tested their new Powers, no one noticed the odd stare Green Dino was giving Pink.

* * *

"_Hey. Everybody in the holding bay. Now._"

Zedd growled as Zeus' transmission ended abruptly. "Who does he think he is?" he demanded of his wife. "How ***dare*** he presume to order ***Lord Zedd*** - "

"Oh, give it a rest already," Rita snapped. "We haven't been getting anywhere trying to destroy the Rangers on our own. At least the Brat's got some new ideas. And if they don't work, we take our new Morphers and blow this pit." She glared warningly.

Zeus subsided, grumbling "Yes, my putrid queen." Inside he burned with fury, waiting for the moment when he would claim leadership of the Dark Rangers, and laugh as he crushed Zeus beneath his foot.

Their journey to the holding bay of the Dark Fortress was silent and without incident, but he couldn't help glancing at Rita every once in awhile. Something had been bothering his wife, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was. She'd been ruder than usual, even to him - which was saying something.

They heard Goldar before they even entered the holding bay. "I want my Cyclopsis! You rebuilt those Zords - why can't you rebuild mine?"

"You get the van or you get shit, so shut it, Monkeyboy," Zeus snapped.

"Cyclopsis was enough to bring the Power Rangers to their knees! These Zords are worthless - "

There was a sickening crunch as Goldar hit the wall, black lightning crackling around him.

Zeus' voice was like ice. "When, I want your opinion, Gorilla-man, I'll give it to you."

Waiting in the center of the holding bay were five vehicles, done in darker shades of red, blue, green, yellow, and white. They gleamed ominously in the shadows. Divatox was practically drooling, while everyone else seemed skeptical.

"You brought us down here to look at a bunch of cars?" Rita demanded.

Zeus rolled his eyes with a sigh. "No, I brought you idiots down here to see your Zords," he retorted.

Divatox reached for the red sports car, purring "Red Lightning is - "

"Scorpina's," Zeus cut her off. "You get Wind Chaser."

Her eyes darkened, and she turned to glare at him. "And why do you get to assign them?"

He rolled his eyes again. "Because I ***built*** them, moron. They're mine, so I get to choose who's driving what."

Rita looked at him suspiciously. "Since when do you know how to build Zords?"

"Who do you think helped the stupid robot with maintenance, Tommy?" he snapped. His eyes shifted to Demoness, and he raised an eyebrow.

She shook her head. "Non. I do not wish to pilot one of these ... Zords."

He nodded politely at her before turning his attention back to the Zords themselves. "Then Scorpina gets Red Lightning, Sectra Dune Star, Divatox Wind Chaser, and Gold-butt gets Desert Thunder. Mountain Blaster is mine." He paused, looking at Zedd. "You got any blue prints for that Serpentera thing you like so much?"

Zedd reguarded him suspiciously. "You will rebuild my Zord?"

He shrugged. "The more Zords we have to run over Ranger teams, the better. You want it or not?"

Zedd's claws tightened on his staff. "Yes," he said at last, growling to himself at the idea of needing Zeus for anything.

"Perhaps you could take a look at my Zord as well," Tearrah commented, a slow smirk drifting across her face. "I'm sure my Cobra Zord will be ... useful."

Zeus shrugged. "Why not? Bring it in here and I'll take a look at it later." He stretched, yawning, and walked off without so much as a backward glance.

Astronema followed him, waiting until they had reached her rooms again before speaking. "Why not the Rescue Zords?"

He snorted. "Because the Village People Zords don't exactly scream 'evil'. And if I'm driving Blaster ***anything***, it's sure as hell not gonna be anything to do with sirens."

She sat in front of her vanity as she watched him stretch back across one of the beds. "How did you know that the Red Astro Ranger may be my brother?" she asked suddenly. It had bothered her since he'd said it, but at first she hadn't trusted him enough to ask, and more recently they'd had other things to worry about.

He gave her an odd look. "You told me, remember?"

She shook her head. "No, before that. When I asked why you gave me the Digimorpher, you said it was because the Red and Silver Astro Rangers like me, and they wouldn't want to fight against me. How did you know that?"

He frowned at her. "Because you told me. And about that whole thing with the Silver Astro Ranger."

A chill ran down her spine, and she held in the urge to shiver. "No, I didn't."

"Yes, you did!" he insisted. Then he paused. "Or maybe Vengeance mentioned it. Whatever. But someone told me about it already." He waved a hand dismissively.

She looked at him for a long moment.

She'd never told ***anyone***, not even Ecliptor, about her date with the Silver Ranger. And only Ecliptor had known about the possibility that the Red Ranger was her brother. Someone was feeding Zeus information.

A glimmer of suspicion entered her mind before she brushed it away. After the link she'd formed with his mind, she knew Zeus was honest with her. However he knew something he shouldn't have, he wasn't the problem. So somewhere, there was a rat on her ship.

He glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

Banishing the thoughts away for the moment, she shot him an amused look. "You gave Divatox Wind Chaser just to annoy her, didn't you?"

Zeus grinned. "Oh, hell yeah."

* * *

"Out! Out! Out!"

Trini, Billy, and Carlos looked up as Tommy backpedaled out of Vylsn's forge so quickly he almost fell over. Vylsn appeared in the doorway, shaking a hammer threateningly. "Keep your big fat fingers out of my work!" he shrieked before vanishing again.

"Tommy? Are you all right?" Trini asked, already starting to rise to her feet in concern.

He blinked once, then flashed her a sheepish grin. "Turns out I'm good with Coins, not Morphers," he explained.

Billy frowned. "Why did Vylsn forcibly cause you to extricate yourself from the premises?"

"Why did he kick you out," Trini explained at Tommy's blank expression.

"Oh. That." He shrugged. "I was trying to figure out how the Astro Morphers work, and I snapped something."

They stared at him. "You ***broke*** one of our Morphers?" Carlos demanded.

He fidgeted slightly, his expression turning guilty. "I'm sure Vylsn can fix it," he offered weakly.

Trini couldn't help thinking all that was missing was the scuffing foot. She smiled; it was a nice change from the serious face she'd seen far too often lately. Even better still than the various guilty and dangerously overconfident looks she'd known when they were younger.

Carlos started to say something, but Billy interrupted him. "You've begun the recreation of the Astro Morphers?"

Tommy nodded. "The Zeo Morphers need to be programmed, but I figured we should leave that to you since you knew them the best. The Ninja Coins are all done; we just wanted to let them all set for a bit so they can adjust."

Trini cocked her head. "Set?"

"The Coins are empty until we draw the Morphin energy into them," he explained. "Once we do that, the two have to have time to adjust to each other before they can be used. The Grid needs to form a permanent connection to the Coin for us to use, and the Coin needs to get used to the energy flow to know how much to contain it."

They all stared at him.

He frowned. "What?"

There was a long pause. "I never figured you for the technical type," Carlos said at last.

He shrugged. "It's not quite as complicated as I thought it'd be." Then he frowned again. "Or it just makes more sense now that I can see it. I'm not really sure."

"So you will require the Zord schematics soon, then," Billy murmured.

"No."

The group looked up at Vylsn as he re - emerged. He glanced around, squinting. "Where's that Red Kerovian, the stripey-haired one?"

"He went back to the Megaship. I'll call him," Carlos volunteered. He raised his wrist, then frowned. Vylsn still had his Morpher, and he hadn't remembered to grab a communicator.

Trini offered hers with an understanding smile. She turned back to Vylsn as he accepted it and tried to contact the Megaship. "What did you mean by 'no'?"

Carlos brightened as he got through. "Andros, we need you - "

"I don't make Zords."

All four went abruptly silent as they started at him, Carlos cutting off mid-sentence in shock. "Y-you don't make Zords?" Trini managed finally.

"Then why have you requested our assistance in supplying you with detailed schematics of Zords that we have not seen an immeasurable period of time and have considerable difficulty attempting to recall if you have never had the intension of handling such a request?" Billy demanded, his face growing red in agitation.

Trini took his hand, squeezing and rubbing it soothingly as Carlos blinked at him.

Vylsn looked annoyed. "I never promised anything about Zords. I agreed to make Morphers and Coins, that's all. I wanted schematics to know what I'm bonding you to. I'm a Power Smith; I don't ***make*** Zords."

Tommy looked lost. "Then how ... what ... what are we going to do about Zords? I mean, Dragonzord's still on Earth, and the Zeo Zords ... " He frowned. "No ... they probably went with the Power Chamber. Which means all we have is Dragonzord and Titanus. And the Astro Megazord," he added in afterthought.

Andros appeared in a burst of red sparkles, flanked by Zhane and Ashley. "What's wrong?" he demanded instantly, his eyes scanning for any signs of attack or injury.

"Vylsn doesn't make Zords," Carlos murmured dazedly.

Vylsn huffed angrily. "By the Power's grace! If you ***must*** have them, there's been rumors of a Zord Maker on Eltar. He's supposed to be some sort of genius or something. Go and ask ***him*** for your blasted Zords."

Ashley frowned. "Eltar? But that's ... "

"Zordon's home planet," Billy answered her, his unusual display of temper finally beginning to subside. "It is also the home of one of the most prestigious and respected Ranger Collegiates. If there is a Zord Builder in the immediate vicinity, we would in all probability be able to locate them there."

"So once the Morphers are all programmed and ready, we head to Eltar," Tommy looked infinitely relieved.

"Yes, yes, yes," Vylsn snapped, grabbing Andros' wrist.

Andros tried to jerk his arm back, glaring. "What are you doing?"

"Do you want to test the Morpher or not?" Vylsn growled at him. He squeezed Andros' wrist tighter, holding it as he strapped the Astro Morpher in place. Once it was secure, he released him to give an annoyed stare. "Well? Morph already!"

Andros gave him another dark glare, trying to cover up the fact that his wrist was stinging; Vylsn didn't know his own strength. "Fine. Let's Rocket!"

The transformation didn't seem any different, and there wasn't anything unusual about the uniform. Nothing seemed to have changed. But when Andros lifted his head and flexed a hand, he felt like had had the first moment he'd ever Morphed, back when he was only ten years old: invincible.

Somewhat begrudgingly, he turned to regard Vylsn. "You're right; there is a difference. Thank you."

Vylsn smiled toothily. "That's why I'm a Power Smithing genius, and you're a pilot."

The group stared at him as he waddled off to the forge again.

"Tell me we can leave ***soon***?" Carlos pleaded.

* * *

- _"When I want your opinion Gorilla-man, I'll give it to you."_ -

Goldar snarled to himself under his breath as he stalked away from the hanger. How ... how ***dare*** he? He was a warrior who had laid waste to thousands of star systems, descended from a race of warrior kings! How ***dare*** they refuse to take him seriously? Even Lord Zedd, even his ***Empress***, who he had fought valiantly for, bled for, been ***sealed away*** in that thrice-be-damned dumpster for, treated him as an imbecile! He, who had won wars, designated the grunt of the Dark Rangers.

He snarled at every Quantron, Piranhatron, Nanthi, Tenga, and Putty he passed, blasting a few for good measure. Still his fury could not be contained. The damage to his honor and pride was too great.

It was by chance that he stumbled upon one of the workrooms that had been given begrudgingly to Rita. It was completely by accident that he found the clay that once baked under the proper conditions, would become Putties. It was a strange, vague sense of curiosity that made him touch it, molding it carefully under his fingers.

And it was the feeling of completeness that kept him there.

* * *

-( _Six Dino Coins, Three Ninja Coins, Two Zeo Morphers, Six Astro Morphers, four allies, one pet bird, one girlfriend _... )- Jason couldn't help the slight grin as he finished his mental calculations. -( _Sounds like we're all set_. )- "Everyone ready?" he asked aloud, glancing around.

It was strange, in a way. When you thought about it, there were four full teams here, with five Rangers from other teams. Pahla had said she wasn't her team's leader, but she was definitely a second-in-command at the least. Vengi had the same feel about him, and while Phantom may be the silent type, something about her gave him the impression of being a leader. Add to that Andros, Rocky, and Tommy, and they had six potential leaders in the group.

And yet somehow, everyone was looking at him.

The Astro Rangers still followed Andros of course, and everyone deferred to him when it came to the subjects of space or Ranger diplomacy. Adam and Aisha still seemed to follow behind Rocky, but he rarely seemed to feel the need to step forward for the rest of them for some reason. Phantom was obviously ignoring them all on principle, though Cassie seemed to be making some headway; she'd spent an entire day unmorphed. Pahla was insistent that she wasn't in any position to ask them to follow her, and Vengi seemed to agree. And Tommy, much to his surprise, was apparently content to fade to the background.

He hadn't really been a leader, a ***true*** leader, since he'd left the team the first time. When they were the Thunder Rangers, or whatever that form was. He still had trouble understanding that sort of thing. But now everyone just seemed to expect him to take charge, and followed his lead. They weren't completely unquestioning, and he was grateful for it, but he ultimately made the decisions for them all.

There was something comforting in that.

He should have been worried, or frightened because he still didn't entirely understand what was going on. He should be stressing about making plans, figuring out alternate routes to achieve their goal, strategizing. He'd once come to hate being in charge of the Rangers, that sense of knowing that one wrong choice, one wrong move, could get his friends killed. It was one of the reasons he'd left for the peace conference.

He winced internally. Well, one of the lesser reasons, he admitted to himself. The memories of the fight with Amber, of his decision to apply, were not something he was proud of. But he probably wouldn't have come to the place in his life that he was at if he hadn't gone. Maybe he hadn't been doing much of anything before Tommy and T.J. found him, but he'd learned a lot in that span of time. He understood better now, both himself, and exactly what things truly mattered to him.

And that, he reflected as Pahla reached for his hand with a soft, understanding smile in her eyes, was really what mattered now.

It was for that reason that he could accept, appreciate, and be grateful for the level of trust the others were putting in him. That he could finally not be bothered by being the one to make the decisions. Now he understood that when he reacted badly, didn't think things through completely, missed something he should have seen, his friends, his team, would always be there to back him up. That he didn't need to be afraid of the fact that they believed in him, because they did believe in him. And now, knowing that the level of trust between the five best friends he'd ever had hadn't faded with time and separation, but grown stronger, grown to reach out for the new friends they'd made, he could believe that they could do anything. Even knowing that they were facing the greatest enemy, that the battle, the ***war*** hadn't even begun, he could still somehow find the strength to believe again, in the way that he had in the beginning of it all.

When a hand settled to squeeze his shoulder, he didn't have to look to know that it was Tommy. "We're ready, Jase," he murmured. "Just say the word, and we're with you."

He glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, wondering skeptically if Pahla had really meant he was a 'mental-type' White.

"So, we're going to Eltar." Kat's eyes were almost wondering, her expression cautiously delighted at the thought of their new goal.

Billy smiled wistfully. "I was never able to see it ... I had aspirations; unfortunately, the occasion was never suitable."

Trini squeezed his hand with another smile. "And now we'll all be able to see Zordon's home together."

Ashley turned away from them all, her eyes finding Vylsn as he remained in his forge, seemingly indifferent to their departure. She went to him with the warmest smile she could manage. "Thank you Vylsn, for everything," she told him sincerely. "We wouldn't have a chance without your help."

"Of course, you wouldn't," he sniffed, turning away with an indignant humph. "You're only humans. ***Children***, no less."

Her smile widened, and she reached out to take one of his claws. "I hope the next time we see you, it'll be in better circumstances ... ?" she trailed off hopefully.

He pulled his claw from her, still looking off in annoyance. "***I*** hope I never have to see any of you ever again."

She sighed, slightly shook her head, and gave him one last smile even if he refused to see it. "I'll never forget you, Vylsn. Thank you so much." And in a burst of impulse, she threw her arms around his waist awkwardly for a quick hug, then ran to join the others.

It was several minutes after the sparkles had faded, finally leaving him in peace, before he looked at last to where the Yellow Astro Ranger had been. "You would have made a good Pink, Ashley Hammond of Earth," he mumbled to himself. "A good Pink ... if you didn't have the need to heal." He lifted one claw, the one she'd tried to hold, staring at it wonderingly before raising it higher, waving almost absently at where the group had once been.

"May you find the strength to fight Rangers, when all that you have fought for is gone ... "

His hand dropped slowly, and he blinked. A scowl settled over his reptilian features, and he turned to his forge. "Blasted children. Always leaving a mess, never appreciate everything I do ... " he muttered bitterly.


	35. Unexpected Friends

Chapter 35:Unexpected Friends

"Approaching ship," D.E.C.A. announced. There was a pause, then "Incoming transmission. Shall I accept?"

"Yes," Andros answered, straightening.

"This is the Blue Eltarian Ranger. You're entering restricted space. State your business," he announced as the image came to the main viewscreen.

"Does that voice sound familiar to you?" Ashley murmured to Carlos.

He nodded back wordlessly, frowning.

"This is Red Astro Ranger," Andros returned. "The Astro Rangers and their guests request permission to land on Eltar."

"For what?" the Blue Ranger demanded, sounding suspicious.

"Dulcea sent us to search for Zordon."

The Ranger paused, glancing down at the console in front of them. "The Astro Rangers are supposed to be guarding the Sol System. What are you doing here? You can't leave Earth unprotected!"

Andros' eyes narrowed slightly. "We're on a mission to stop the Dark Rangers. That takes priority over Earth."

"And who gave you permission to police the galaxy?" Zhane put in, looking annoyed.

The Blue Ranger stiffened. "Zordon," they snapped back. "And if you'll excuse me, I have more important things to - " They paused. "Cassie?"

She looked up from the console she'd been monitoring. "Yeah?"

The Ranger stared. "I don't believe this. Cassie, it's really you?"

"Yeah ... " she returned warily. "Why? Who are you?"

To their surprise, the Blue Ranger laughed. "It's me! Justin! Well, Robot Ranger Justin, anyway. I go by Chrin now. Why didn't you guys tell me you were in space? Hey, where's Justin? He's supposed to teach me how to play soccer. He'd better not have forgotten."

Cassie bit her lip. "Justin isn't with us," she returned softly. "It's ... a long story. Do you think we could discuss this someplace else?"

"Sure! If I'd known it was you guys, I would have let you land already. Go ahead and dock at ... platform six. I'll meet you there."

Andros' eye twitched as the transmission cut off.

"Robot Ranger Justin?" Zhane repeated warily.

Ashley stared at the screen, slowly turning to look at the other former Turbo Rangers. "Justin's Robot Ranger is ... here?"

* * *

Everyone exited the ship slowly, not quite sure what to expect. To their surprise, T.J., Carlos, Cassie, Ashley, and Justin were waiting for them. The older ones held their stiff and proper poses, while Justin was beaming at the front of the group, trying to hold himself back.

Andros nodded his head stiffly. "Thank you for allowing us to use your resources, Eltarian Rangers."

"It's our pleasure, Astro Rangers," the other T.J. returned.

Justin apparently couldn't contain himself anymore. "I can't believe it's really you guys!" he burst out, the bright, beaming smile nearly taking over his face. "This is so cool! I never thought we'd meet you out here!"

T.J. blinked down at him. "Justin ... how ... ?"

"Oh, my name's Chrin now," he returned cheerfully. "That's Theovis, Milos, Castine, and Ashren." He gestured to T.J., Carlos, Cassie, and Ashley's clones in turn. "We use Eltarian names here."

"Eltarian names?" Ashley looked bewildered.

"Yup. Eltarians have two names, like first and last names on Earth. One is for family, one is for the person you - well, I guess you'd call it marry. For everyone else, they combine the two names into another name. Like for me. Christopher Justin is my full name, but my common name is Chrin," he explained.

"This is just ... too weird," Carlos murmured at last, staring down at Chrin.

He blinked. "Why?" He looked around, frowning slightly. "Where ***is*** Justin, anyway? Why isn't he with you?"

"That's a long story," Cassie told him softly.

"We'll take you to our place, then," Theovis spoke up, glancing back at the others. "It's the safest place to talk."

Ashren stepped forward with a bright smile. "Come on, everyone."

* * *

"This place is beautiful ... " Kat breathed as they walked through the high, arched hallways filled with intricate details in the molding. The entire building was filled with color, walls lined with stained-glass windows in each shade of the rainbow.

"Kinda reminds me of church," Rocky muttered, shifting a bit uncomfortably.

Jason gave him an odd glance. "I thought you were Catholic."

The look he got in return was mildly amused. "I'm a gay Catholic. My church has people that remind me of how I'm going to burn every time I get near it."

"This is called The Power Cathedral," Ashren informed them all. She cocked her head in thought. "I guess you could call it a church."

"People come here to pray to the Grid," Castine spoke up softly as she walked, still staring straight ahead. "They ask for guidance in times of need."

"We stay up there," Milos told them, pointing toward a large curling staircase in thin, delicate white metal. "It's our meeting room and recharging area."

Zack winced instinctively as Chrin bounced up the stairs, watching them shake with every step he took. "Are you sure those stairs are safe?" he couldn't help asking.

Ashren flashed him a bright grin. "Don't worry; if they were going to break, we would have broken them by now," she answered cheerfully as Milos snickered in agreement.

Theovis and Castine exchanged looks of long-suffering behind them.

The stairs ***were*** sturdier than they looked, and everyone reached the top without incident. The room they entered was just as beautiful as the Cathedral below; large windows of colored glass, high ceilings, and detailed engravings and sculptures, but now the colored tiles of the floor had been replaced by soft white carpeting. To one side a sitting area of what looked like nothing more than a collection of large bean bag chairs, the opposite side a table with seating for five. Half of the table was covered by various electrical components. Near the seating area stood two massive bookcases overstuffed with books of every size and shape. To one side of the bookcases someone had placed exercise and weightlifting equipment, the other what looked like a giant toybox. In a back corner stood what could only be one of Zordon's plasma tubes, which was discreetly ignored by most of the group.

Chrin turned to watch them all expectantly, waiting as everyone finally stopped staring at the scenery and turned their gazes to him. "So where's Justin?"

The resulting silence was heavy as they all searched for a way to explain. At last it was T.J. who stepped forward, summoning the courage to look his former teammate's counterpart in the eye. "Have you heard of the Dark Ranger Prophecy?" he asked seriously.

Understanding dawned in the Eltarian Ranger's eyes within moments as he seemed to deflate before them. His shoulders sagged, head bowing as he lowered his gaze to the floor. "I see," he said softly.

Ashren was at his side in an instant, a hand on his shoulder. "Chrin?" she asked worriedly.

He shook his head slowly. "Justin ... I can't say I'm really all that surprised," he murmured. "Alpha always told me he worried about him more than anyone."

Everyone froze. "Alpha?" Trini repeated slowly.

"Aiyiyi! Did someone call my name?"

The little robot never had a chance.

Within moments he was surrounded, cries of "Alpha!" filling the air. They all fussed over him, Trini and Billy checking for damage more out of habit than anything. Kimberly cried, while Kat nearly joined her. Questions rang out, everyone talking at once.

"Aiyiyiyiyi! Rangers!" Alpha 5 paused and turned up the volume on his external speakers, waving his arms to catch their attention. "***Rangers***!"

"It's good to see you, Rangers," he announced, sounding somewhat bemused as they finally startled into silence.

"Alpha, we missed you so much!" Kimberly told him, finally giving into the urge to give him a hug. She was rewarded with one of his awkward giggles, which only made her smile more.

"But, Rangers ... " He looked around in confusion. "What are you all doing here?"

"Justin is the Dark Blue Ranger," Chrin informed him as everyone else hesitated.

Alpha was still for a moment, lights flashing as he contemplated the news. At last, a low mournful "Aiyiyiyiyi ... " split the air.

"Why don't you all sit down?" Castine spoke up, her voice soft. "We should discuss things."

Reluctantly, everyone complied.

Alpha didn't move. Eventually he shuffled off quietly in the direction he'd come from, another soft "Aiyiyi ... " drifting behind him.


	36. Justin's Secrets

Chapter 36:Justin's Secrets

The silence after they were done telling the Eltarian Rangers everything that had happened was awkward. Chrin stared at the floor in silence, his hands folded under his chin as his expression remained blank. Theovis had clenched his fists more than once during the explanation, eventually starting to pace before they had finished. Milos was watching Theovis' pacing with a worried frown, squeezing Ashren's hand as she stared at them, too stunned to speak. Castine had shook her head once as she listened quietly throughout the whole story. Her reaction at the end had only been another head shake, followed by an intense study of Chrin.

"I don't understand," Ashley began at last. She paused, and frowned. "I don't understand any of this."

"I thought Dimitria said you guys weren't ready to be Rangers yet. I mean, I always thought you were just robot clones." T.J. winced the moment he'd said it. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong. I meant - "

"It's all right," Chrin reassured him, looking up at last with a slow smile. "Relax Theovis," he added without turning around. "Not understanding isn't the same thing as openly insulting."

The Red Eltarian Ranger humphed indignantly and returned to his agitated pacing.

"So how did you become Rangers?" Carlos asked, frowning.

Castine chuckled slightly, while Milos snickered and Ashren smiled. Chrin flashed them all a grin. "I got bored."

Cassie looked confused. "Huh?"

His smiled widened. "I started doing research to create a set of Morphers that would work with our robotic bodies. Sort of like the Alpha units, but on a larger scale. It's not impossible to permanently bond cybernetics and the Morphin Grid; just difficult."

Ashren grinned and leaned over to give him a squeeze. "That's why our Chrin is a genius."

Chrin smiled, but to the Earth Rangers' surprise, didn't seem embarrassed at all.

"You're not like Justin, are you?" Kat asked softly, her smile somewhat sad.

Chrin shook his head, his expression sympathetic. "We share a face and some memories, but we're not the same person. The only reason I look like him is that he's who Zordon was thinking of when he decided to build me."

"Why did he ... build you?" Trini asked hesitantly, looking unsure as to whether she was being rude or not.

He flashed her another warm smile. "It's okay. I don't mind talking about it. Yes, I am a robot. Sort of a prettier version of an Alpha unit, with an upgraded personality chip. As for why Zordon built me, part of it was because he had nothing to do, and he's a mechanics nut." He gave them all an impish grin.

Zack blinked. "Never would have seen that one coming," he muttered. Aisha elbowed him sharply.

"The other reason was because he was lonely. He missed having kids around." He shrugged. "The way he put it to me was that on Earth, he'd been missing Eltar badly enough that he decided to go. Then after he got here, all he wanted was to go back to his children. But all of you were still adjusting to Dimitria, and he didn't want to interfere." He shrugged again. "I keep telling him he's too self-sacrificing for his own good, but he just says to stop accessing Justin's memory banks."

That got him an odd look from Tanya. "What does that mean?"

He paused, then sighed, the easy smile fading at last. "Justin was never who any of you thought he was. He re-invented himself for a lot of reasons, but almost everything all of you know about him is a lie."

Adam wasn't the only one staring. "What?"

"Rocky was the only person who really knew him at all." He nodded to the person in question. "And that's because he wouldn't take no for an answer. It reminded him a lot of Nate."

"Nate?" Carlos echoed.

Chrin bit his lip, frowning uncomfortably. "Someone he used to know before he met all of you. It's not really my place to tell you everything about him." He sighed again and looked back up. "What I can tell you is the two most important things about him that you never knew." He paused for a moment, regarding them all with a strange expression. "None of you have ever asked why Justin can drive a car so well, you know."

Tanya frowned. "He said Alpha taught him. It was one of the first things he told us after he became a Ranger, right before we boarded the Ghost Galleon."

He raised an eyebrow. "And he leaned how to drive in two hours? He's a genius; not psychic."

Adam was confused. "Then how?"

He shook his head. "Justin lived in a town called Jackson for awhile, during one of his father's transfers. While he was there, he was forced to join a street gang. Eventually they got into cars and street racing, and Justin learned everything they knew. They taught him how to drive when he was barely eleven. That's why he never had a problem with driving any of the Zords; it really wasn't that much different."

"But he did have a problem!" Kat interjected. "The first battle we fought in Angel Grove, he and I couldn't get Wind Chaser and Mountain Blaster to join right away."

He looked her calmly. "Can you honestly tell me that at the time, you weren't afraid he wouldn't be able to handle it?"

Her eyes widened. "I ... "

A faint smile grew on his face. "There's a problem with society that you'll find not just on Earth, but on nearly every planet. People, whether human, Eltarian, robotic, or otherwise, have a habit of expecting less of children, and assuming that because they're smaller and younger they're not as capable. On Miranthius you never had time to think about it. When you did, you doubted that a twelve-year-old boy could really handle driving a massive machine like a Zord, just as Justin doubted that while you knew how to handle a Zord, you really knew how to handle a car. They may be similar, but they're still not the same thing. Wind Chaser and Mountain Blaster reacted to the two of you, and you couldn't do it at first." He shrugged. "Once you all got past your initial assumptions, you didn't have that problem. Justin came to realize that you were just as able as he was, and once you knew he was a child prodigy, you finally began to respect him a bit more."

Tommy, Adam, Tanya, and Kat all stared at him incredulously. "That's not true!" Tommy snapped back. "Justin proved himself on his own; it had nothing to do with being smart!"

Chrin just watched them with his chin on his hands, all his smiles gone now. "Can you imagine being twelve years old, asked to join a group of people six years older than you to save the world, and having them roll their eyes when they found out you were their new teammate?" he asked softly. "Having them treat you like a child because you're excited by the experience? Finally earning their begrudging respect after they've learned that you're smart? Still being treated as a child as time goes by, no matter how often you prove yourself, no matter how many times you've been the one to come up with the winning strategy? And then, can you imagine just as you finally find yourself resigned to being 'The Child' in their group, that they've decided to move on with their lives and leave you behind?"

"How dare you?" Tanya yelled at him, starting to rise to her feet in indignation. "We've always respected Justin! And we ***never*** left him behind!"

In the face of her anger, he didn't so much as twitch. "And then," he continued in that same soft voice, "Can you imagine being given a new team who still sees you as a child, even though you have the experience and knowledge that they don't? Resigning yourself, again, to being 'The Child'? Can you imagine the pressure of being known as 'The Genius Child', the one who comes up with the plans, the inventions, handles the technology? And then ... " His voice hardened, eyes narrowing. "Can you imagine losing the closest thing to home you've had in years, finding the solution to save the closest thing to a surrogate father you've ever known, only to realize that to ensure that someone manages to complete the mission, ***you*** have to be the sacrifice that remains behind? To realize, after months of worrying, waiting, hoping, and praying, that they had simply forgotten to tell you that they were even alive? Can you imagine that? Can you?"

Ashren was beside him the moment he began shouting, dropping to her knees in front of him. "Chrin, stop it," she begged, tears welling in her eyes. "Please, stop."

Chrin stared down at her for a moment, going still and quiet. At last he reached out a hand to brush away her tears before gently pulling her into a hug. She clung to him tightly, soft whimpers escaping as she buried her face in his stomach. He stroked her hair gently, sighing softly as he closed his eyes.

It was a strange sight, to see a boy hugging a girl years older than him as she cried. The way she held on to him didn't speak of a friend offering comfort to calm another, but a child terrified by his anger. The way he watched her, reassuring with his gentle hug and a soft whisper in her ear, was not the way a child told a friend he was all right now. When he kissed her forehead, earning a tearful glance upwards, it was the look of a father to his daughter, an older brother to his little sister.

For the ones who knew their human counterparts, it was wrong.

"There's another thing that Justin never told you. It's the reason Zeus singled out Tommy," Chrin said at last, his voice quiet as he continued to stroke Ashren's hair. He squeezed her hand, finally looking up to meet Tommy's eyes. "How his mother died."

Tommy nodded, his eyes filled with pain. "I know," he said quietly.

Jason frowned at him. "Bro?"

Taking a deep breath, he looked at them all unflinchingly. His eyes, however, were filled with immeasurable grief. "Melissa Stewart was one of the people who died in the Evil Green Ranger attacks. She was crushed in a collapsing building, when Dragonzord was ordered to destroy downtown Angel Grove."

The Dino Rangers stared at him in horror. Kimberly drew a hand to her mouth, eyes watering almost instantly. "Oh, Tommy ... " she murmured.

"I don't understand," Ashley said hesitantly. "What does that ... have to do with ... ?" She made the mistake of glancing at Tommy as she asked her question, and suddenly found she couldn't finish it.

He nodded once, slowly. "I was the Evil Green Ranger."

"Evil Ranger?" Yasta looked puzzled.

"Yeah." His eyes were tortured, but still he did not look away from anyone's gaze. "During Rita Repulsa's first attacks on Earth, she decided to create her own evil Power Ranger to defeat Zordon's Rangers. She chose me."

There was a long, stunned silence, as no one was quite sure what to say.

"Did Justin know?" Litania asked abruptly, her expression unreadable.

"Yes," Chrin answered her, glancing in her direction. "Zordon used to let him read through the Power Chamber's archives. He hacked the file not long after he became a Ranger."

That got everyone's attention. "You mean he knew all along?" Kat demanded.

He nodded. Seeing their disbelief, he sighed. "Justin's mom taught a lot about forgiveness, and trying understand others. For her sake, he never said anything. But now that he's become Zeus, all that's changed. He may have tried to forgive Tommy, but in the end, he's still the person who murdered his mother. Without her, his family fell apart."

"Chrin." Castine's tone was sharp.

He looked at her, completely unrepentant. "I'm stating fact," he said simply. "***Justin*** knows better, but it sounds like Zeus is the embodiment of Justin's hidden emotions. That makes him way more dangerous than if he was just evil."

"I always told him not to do that," Rocky murmured, more to himself than anyone else.

Chrin snorted, shooting him an amused look. "And you're the embodiment of honesty, Rocky."

Adam glared back at him as Rocky flinched.

"I think we all need some time to think," Theovis spoke up, frowning at them all.

"Feel free to wander wherever you like," Ashren agreed quickly, though her smile was still a bit shaky. "You're our guests, after all."

"I'm going to Zord Hanger," Chrin murmured, standing suddenly and moving off in the direction they'd seen Alpha go.

Ashren bit her lip as she stared after him, eyes still watering.

"Please, make yourselves at home," Castine told them quietly, the faintest of smiles on her face before she gently directed Ashren to another room.

Milos nodded quickly in agreement, hurrying after Theovis as he suddenly headed toward the stairs.

"Yeah. Home ... " Zack murmured.

* * *

Billy wandered quietly through the halls of the Power Cathedral. After Chrin told them what Zeus knew, they'd slowly drifted off in different directions, each with their own thoughts. He'd found himself walking further away from the others than he'd originally intended. He felt ... He wasn't sure what he felt.

- _"Once you knew he was a child prodigy, you finally began to respect him a bit more."_ -

Conflicted, maybe. Uncertain. He'd called the Aquitian Rangers as soon as D.E.C.A. was heading toward Phaedos, to assure them of his safety. Making the call from his room, in private, had certainly made the difference; Delphine had given him a fierce verbal tongue-lashing for worrying them. Corcus expressed a gentler form of concern, Aurico, Tideus, and Cestro lurking in the background. Cestria had fought back wails of joy at his call, and he hurried to calm her.

It was comforting to be reminded of how much his friends cared. But that brought about another problem...

- _"Can you imagine the pressure of being known as 'The Genius Child', the one who comes up with the plans, the inventions, handles the technology?"_ -

When Aurico asked when he would be returning, he had hesitated. He told them about their current mission, and that he felt he was needed more where he was. He'd be in contact, but he couldn't say when he would return to Aquitar.

- _"Can you imagine losing the closest thing to home you've had in years, finding the solution to save the closest thing to a surrogate father you've ever known, only to realize that to ensure that someone manages to complete the mission, __***you***__ have to be the sacrifice that remains behind?"_ -

Delphine had stared at him for a long moment, at last raising her hand to silence the others' protests. "You must stay with those who call to your heart, Billy. Perhaps if you listen to that which you fear, you will finally find where you belong." She cocked her head, then gave him a gesture of respect. "You will always find friends and a home here, Billy Cranston of Earth and Aquitar."

The others had mimicked her gesture, and the transmission had ended with him too stunned and shocked to respond. Now he was following an unmarked hallway and trying not to ponder what Delphine had been referring to. Not to mention that she'd named him a citizen of Aquitar. That was ...

- _"Can you imagine that? Can you?"_ -

"Yes," he whispered to himself, Chrin's words still echoing through his mind. "I can."

A screeching roar broke his thoughts, and he froze.

He was running before he realized it. Heart pounding, he raced in the direction the sound had come from. -( _It can't be_, )- he chanted to himself silently. -( _It's impossible. It can't be. It's _- )-

He burst through the doorway and stumbled to a halt, chest heaving and knees quaking. The sudden sprint wasn't what had affected him so badly; it was shock. Pure, eyes wide as he gasped and stared, shock.

The Triceratops DinoZord gave a softer call, bending its massive head down toward Chrin. The Eltarian Ranger laughed, patting it gently. He was beyond dwarfed by the gargantuan creature, but didn't seem concerned in the least.

Not surprising, Billy mused distantly as he continued to stare. Triceratops was always one of the gentler Zords.

It wasn't ***his*** Triceratops exactly. Or at least, not as he remembered it. This one was sleeker, more refined. The chunky edges and rough, building block look were gone. Now it was brighter blue and glistening white, its movements natural and fluid. But the sounds it made, screeching car-wreckage noises, were the same.

It lifted its head suddenly, eyes moving to stare in his direction, and he found himself fighting back tears. Logic reminded him this wasn't his old friend, but even the Zord itself seemed to disagree. It roared abruptly, a booming, echoing sound, ending in a snuffle as it shook its head and tossed its nose eagerly in his direction.

"He remembers you, too," Chrin called.

He jerked in surprise, turning to stare at the other Ranger. "You mean this is ... ?" He shook his head suddenly, his logical mind reinstating dominance over his emotions. "That's impossible. The DinoZord were all destroyed."

Chrin grinned at him, all traces of his earlier display of temper gone. "The Power itself is logically impossible. Why are questioning this?"

He had a point.

"How ... ?" he asked softly, reaching slowly toward the Zord. Triceratops snuffled again, leaning its head toward him. He found himself smiling as he patted it gently.

"Alpha and I rebuilt their bodies. Well, sort of. We upgraded them a little."

That was a gross understatement, Billy mused silently, admiring the glistening paint.

"The DinoZords were one of Zordon's favorite sets. It was going to be a surprise; we wanted to cheer him up. So I helped Alpha with the mechanical work, and he showed me how to channel the spirits of the original Zords into the new bodies." His smile faded slightly. "We'd just finally finished Pterodactyl when ... "

He knew he shouldn't ask; he could imagine how it felt to know that Zordon had been stolen literally out from under their noses. But he wanted, ***needed*** to know. "How did it happen?"

Chrin sighed. "As you know, Zordon isn't technically a physical being in our dimension. He uses the plasma tubes as a window between his pocket dimension and our own for communication purposes. In all technicality, he can't be contained without removing him from that dimension, which is currently impossible for reasons still unknown."

Billy nodded; he had learned all this long ago.

"Dark Spectre has somehow found a way to disable ***all*** of the plasma tubes Zordon has access to, with one sole exception. That exception is currently being hidden by his forces. From what we've gathered, he's forced a connection between them that Zordon is unable to close. What he plans to do with that connection ... " He shrugged helplessly. "We can't be sure."

"How was it discovered?" Billy asked quietly.

Chrin closed his eyes. "We returned from a mission to find him just ... gone. All Alpha could tell us was that he called out for help."

He wasn't sure why, but the thought that ***Zordon*** had tried to call for help had him blinking back tears.

Desperate for something to distract himself with, he settled for looking around the hanger he'd found himself in. "Where are the other DinoZords?"

"Out playing." Chrin flashed him another grin, and he wondered at how quickly the other Ranger's moods changed. "I let them out to run around and get some fresh air as often as I can. We don't use them for battle; they're not really equipped for space, and we have our Power Flyers when we need them. So they have to spend most of their time cooped up in here."

Triceratops snorted in disapproval.

A thought occurred to Billy, and he paused. "You said ... you and Alpha created these Zords?"

Chrin nodded, giving a sheepish smile. "Yeah. It's sort of a hobby of mine. I've made a few others for the heck of it, and ended up giving them to other Ranger teams."

He stared in mild bemusement. "You wouldn't happen to be the 'Genius Zord Creator of Eltar' that Vylsn spoke of, would you?"

Chrin laughed, rolling his eyes. "That old coot. Is he still calling me that?"

Slowly, Billy began to smile. "Chrin ... how would you like to create more Zords?"

- _"Can you imagine that? Can you?"_ -


	37. Information Gap

**Author's Notes/:** -Bows deeply- I sincerely apologize for the amount of time it's taken me to update again. Unfortunately, I'm dealing with medical issues at the moment, combined with the fact that my poor computer caught a Malware virus and I can't find my system recovery disk. x.x And on top of all that useless information no one cared about, -Winks- a couple of chapters were being uncooperative. I finally found some inspiration through the joy that is YouTube.

Played Hunt-the-Typo with Chapter 34, but nothing worth re-reading.

And the plot thickens ... Enjoy!

Chapter 37:Information Gap

"You have a visitor," Astronema informed Rita blandly, as Zeus made a face behind her.

Rita grunted. "Well? Who is it?" she demanded.

Quantrons moved aside to reveal ...

"Sis!" Rito Revolto cried joyously, throwing his arms open in welcome.

Rita's suspiciously curious expression darkened in an instant. "Oh. It's you."

"Aw, come on Sis! Don't be like that!" Rito protested. "And after I came all this way just to bring you a present, too."

"What is it this time? More useless feather-brains?" Zedd sneered.

"Hey, those Tengas worked great until the Machine Empire moved in!" he shot back, sounding wounded. "And no. I brought something much better than Tengas. Took the time to dig it out of Dad's storage and everything."

Rita froze, her eyes widening in malicious delight. "Rito! You didn't!"

"Check the hangar and see for yourself," he returned cheerfully.

She hitched up her skirts and took off running, leaving everyone to stare after her. Moments later, the sound of Rita's delighted cheering echoed through the Dark Fortress.

Zeus and Astronema exchanged glances, shrugged, and followed.

They found Rita circling what looked like a small one-man fighter ship done in a mutated shade of green. She cackled and muttered to herself as she inspected it. After a moment, the ship's lights flickered feebly.

"So?" Rito asked as he wandered in. "Do ya like it? Can I stay and help fight the Power Rangers?"

Rita whirled, laughing happily. "This is even better than the dark spellbook you gave me twelve thousand years ago! Of course you can stay!"

"Excuse me?" Astronema demanded sharply. "Exactly ***whose*** ship is this again?"

"Aw, come on. Please?" Rito begged, clasping his hands together. "I wanna make mincemeat out of the Rangers, too!"

Zeus cleared his throat, glancing at Astronema. He raised his eyebrows pointedly.

Her eyes darkened. "Fine," she snapped, whirling around and marching off.

Rito cheered. Rita ignored them all, continuing to inspect her new Zord.

Zeus watched them for a moment, glanced after Astronema, and finally shook his head with a sigh. "Great. More work for me," he muttered.

* * *

"Chrin?"

He paused in whatever he was calculating, looking up from the console in front of him. "Yes, Tanya?"

She frowned, feeling uncertain. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," he returned cheerfully. He typed something swiftly, then bounced over to her with another bright smile. "What is it?"

She blinked for a moment before shaking her head. "Sorry. It's just ... "

"Creepy?" he offered, still smiling. "Now that you know the difference, seeing me makes you think of Justin differently."

"That's not - " She cut herself off with a sigh as he raised an eyebrow. "Okay, so maybe it does make things ... strange," she admitted. "I just ... I guess I have some things I still need to know."

"Ask away." He plopped down on the floor, gesturing for her to join him. "And if I don't like the question, I won't answer it."

She eyed him, snorting faintly. "Fair enough." She took a moment to gather her thoughts. "How do you know all this?" she asked at last. "Everything about Justin. Are you two Bonded in some way, or telepathic or something?"

Chrin burst out laughing.

She gave him an irritated look.

"Sorry, sorry ... " he giggled, clutching his stomach. "I just ... can't help myself." He struggled to get himself under control, still snickering occasionally. He wiped at his eyes, flashing her a grin. "You guys have spent a little too much time on the mythical side of things lately. Sometimes there really ***is*** just a simple explanation, you know."

"Then what is it?" she retorted, annoyed now.

"Did T.J. and the others tell you about how we all met, when Zordon sent us to meet them and Dimitria wanted to test our skills?"

She nodded. "They said they blocked your memory of who you were, to see if you would notice the difference between the Ro -sorry - the others, and the human Turbo Rangers."

"Don't censor yourself so much; it'll just give you a headache," he chuckled. "I don't mind being called a robot. And in layman's terms, that's basically what we did. But to make me actually believe I ***was*** Justin, I had to have Justin's sense of 'self', so to speak. We created digital copies of his memories and downloaded them into my system. Then my own memories were firewalled, to make sure I would function exactly as Justin would."

"And Justin was okay with this?" she asked skeptically.

He laughed. "Oh, heck no. He protested all along the way. But I refused to let any of the others be the test subject, so in the end he ***had*** to agree, because he was only making himself more suspicious the longer he went on. And since he never had time to delete my copies of his memories before we went home, I still retain them."

She frowned again. "But if you only have Justin's memories as of then, how do you know how he felt when the others went into space? You can't have remembered that."

"That's because I don't." He gave her another amused look, leaning back on his arms and shaking his feet back and forth. "Again, you're complicating things. What I have is Justin's memories and capabilities programmed into a supercomputer that functions as my brain. I don't have to remember it to know how Justin reacted; I have data on his emotional and mental responses in multiple given situations combined with a computer capable of calculating thousands of possible outcomes in a single nanosecond. I 'know' because I have the research and understanding of his character to predict his feelings."

"But that means you're just guessing!" she argued. "You don't know for sure if that's how he really feels!"

"I have a highly probable guess," he corrected, "Combined with the current actions he's taken since. I'm pretty confident that I'm right."

Her anger faded. "Oh."

He looked at her again and sighed. "Tanya, I know Justin because there ***is*** a bond between us - it's just not as simple as the Soul Bonds or Blood Bonds or whatever. I was created from Zordon's knowledge of his character and image, and given my own identity from that. I have copies of his memories and experiences. We're not the same people and we never will be. But Justin is my father, my brother, and my friend all rolled into one." He stood suddenly, offering her a hand. "Which is why I want him to come back to himself just as much as the rest of you."

She hesitated, then pulled him into a hug. "Thanks, Chrin. I needed this," she murmured.

He shrugged. "Zeus may be a different person, but Justin wouldn't want to see you upset." He pulled away, stretching. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get back to work."

She looked at him curiously. "What are you and Billy up to, anyway?"

He grinned, winking at her. "It's a secret."

* * *

She was more than this once. She thought she was, at least. Sometimes ... she wasn't so sure.

She remembered things. The team she had shamed and abandoned when she chose her mistress' side. The warm, tropical planet she'd grown up on, her vow to keep it safe. A vow she'd broken ... for her. For ***this***.

A sharp gasp jerked her from her thoughts, and she looked down. Automatically she wrapped her arms around her mistress, holding her gently. She murmured soothing words as she carefully stroked her hair.

Tearrah shuddered in her arms, clinging tightly to her. She was pale and sweating, the way she always looked after waking from a nightmare. Her eyes were wide and fearful as she stared up at her.

"I'm here," she whispered. "There's nothing to fear; no one will ever harm you while I'm here. I will always protect you."

Tears welled in her mistress' eyes.

Spectra leaned down, resting her head against Tearrah's. "No one will hurt you again."

And no 'well-meaning' Light Ranger with too many questions would change that.

* * *

"Goldie! How ya doin', old buddy?"

"Go away, Rito," he snarled, not looking up from his work.

"Say, that looks real nice. She's a babe."

Rito found himself pinned to the wall in an instant, Goldar roaring in his face. "Don't you touch her"!

"Whoa ... " Rito waved a hand in front of his face, squirming. "Take a breath mint and ***relax***, Goldie! I'm just sayin'."

Goldar stared at him suspiciously for a long moment before he slowly relaxed at last, releasing him. He was back at work on the figurine he'd been making in moments. The careful way he etched details into the clay with his claws would have been unnerving-had the one watching him been ***anyone*** but Rito.

"So who is she?" his skeletal friend asked, leaning over the back of his chair.

"I don't know."

Rito paused, cocking his head. "She's yours, but you don't know who she is? Why are you makin' a statue of her then?"

"Because I love her."

"Oh." Rito seemed to digest this for a moment, then shrugged. "Okay." He made himself more comfortable. "You know, I bet she'd be even prettier in color."

"Don't have any paint."

"Well hey, are we villains or what?" Rito demanded cheerfully. "Let's go steal some! Come on, Goldie! Time to make your girlfriend pretty."

Goldar had paused in his sculpting at Rito's suggestion, but now his eyes narrowed warningly. "She ***is*** pretty," he growled.

"Well, of course she is! But she could still use some color in her cheeks, know what I mean? Hey, maybe you could do me at the same time!"

"Fat chance," Goldar grumbled as he stood. He stored his precious statue in a place where no one would bother her. Turning, he eyed Rito with an odd sense of anticipation. "Let's go get some art supplies, nimrod."

"Right behind ya, Goldie!"

* * *

A shadow hidden in the darkness of the ship surveyed the security cameras quietly as a pair of Quantrons sparked pathetically on the floor behind it. At last the creature smiled, and the shadows of the room dropped several degrees.

"Time ... " the voice, neither male nor female, murmured to itself. "Time to see what these pathetic losers can do. Time to see just how strong my hold is upon them all ... "

A laugh, cold and dark and oily, seemed to ooze through the halls.

Somewhere in the bowels of the ship, Demoness shivered and clutched her chest, while Tearrah's eyes shot open with a silent scream.


	38. Declarations of War

Chapter 38:Declarations of War

"Astronema."

She looked up, eyeing Zeus' blank expression warily. They'd been relaxing in her room in silence while she brushed her hair, and Zeus simply stared out the window. "What is it?"

"Where is Tearrah?"

She frowned. "Training rooms, I think. She said something about Spectra being 'rusty'." She rolled her eyes at what all the Dark Rangers had taken as an innuendo. "Why?"

"Because it's time," he murmured.

He moved to the door swiftly, pausing only to glance over his shoulder. "Ready to test out that morpher of yours?"

He was gone before she could respond, leaving her staring. After a moment her eyes suddenly narrowed as her lips curled into an evil smirk. She reached for her wrath staff.

"It's about fucking time."

* * *

He knelt at the head alter, crossing himself out of habit. Bowing his head, he murmured his prayers to whatever deity might be listening. -( _Please ... just help us get Justin back. He doesn't deserve this. Help us bring back the person C.J. always wanted to be_. )-

His eyes snapped open at the sound of footsteps. The presence behind him registered almost immediately, and he relaxed. He shouldn't be so surprised to be found.

They had been on Eltar for nearly three weeks now, just over a month since they'd left Earth, with no word of any movement from the Dark Rangers. Everyone was impatient and uncomfortable, but there wasn't really anywhere else for them to go. Andros had taken the time available to accept Alpha 5's offer for repairs and upgrades to D.E.C.A., leaving them stranded as they waited for something to happen.

They had all been dealing with the sudden lack of anything to do in their own way. He'd tried sparring, helping T.J. scan for Dimitria, even having Pahla try to teach him how to meditate just to pass the time. The longer he was left to think, the more he thought about Justin. That had eventually led him here, down to the main floor of the Power Cathedral. What he hoped to accomplish here, he didn't know. But maybe just once, he'd get an answer.

"I thought you hated church," Adam said softly, kneeling beside him.

"I said the people in my church hate me. That doesn't mean I don't still have my faith."

"Sorry."

"S'okay."

There was a long silence. "You're praying for Justin, aren't you?" Adam asked at last.

He nodded wordlessly, his eyes watching the candle flames dancing in front him. They were similar to what he would have found in his own church, except that they came in every color he could think of. What color should he light for Justin, he wondered. Red or White, for his own success? Blue, for Justin himself? Pink, to remind him that he was loved?

"What did Chrin mean?"

He sighed. He should have expected this, honestly. He had asked Adam to keep an eye on Justin when he'd left the team, after all. "Which part?"

"Who's Nate?"

He closed his eyes. -( _I'm sorry, Justin_, )- he called silently. -( _But I can't be the only one who understands you anymore. If we're going to help you, the others need to know who you really are, too_. )-

"His brother."

Adam stiffened. "What?"

"He has an older brother, Nathan Stewart. Justin calls him Nate. You remember what Chrin told you, about the street gang in Jackson? They were both part of it. The gang was tracked down and broken up after Justin and Nathan got caught street racing. Nathan managed to convince the judge that he was the one who'd dragged Justin into it, and that he was the one behind it all. He went to Juvenile Hall in Jackson, and Justin's dad brought him to back to Angel Grove not long after that. They haven't seen each other since. Justin told me their mail is monitored, and they don't get phone calls all that often."

Adam could only stare at him, stunned.

"He wanted to start over when he moved to Angel Grove again, and forget everything that had happened. Once he became a Ranger, he let the Power turn him into someone else, so he could really forget." He glanced over at his friend.

"The Power ... changed him?" Adam murmured, his thoughts whirling.

He nodded. "Justin was never hyper. The only time I've ever seen him honestly excited was when I let him work on my van. That, and once when I asked him for help on my science homework." He shrugged slightly. "He told me that it was like a permanent sugar high. I'd never seen him like that, so happy and cheerful. He kept ***smiling***. The last time I saw him smile was when I let him drive." He sighed, shaking his head and shrugging helplessly. "I couldn't take that away from him. I told him to keep the Morpher, and that I had to help out with my family more. They did need me, but I didn't really decide to do it until I saw him. And every time I saw him after that, he was a completely different person. I realized ... he was trying to become someone else. He wanted to leave the past behind him." He glanced up. "He wanted to become someone you guys would like."

Adam looked ill. "I can't believe ... Why didn't I notice?"

He smiled humorlessly. "Justin's good at hiding his feelings."

Adam's eyes were tortured when he looked at him, and he flinched. "Aw, man ... " He pulled him into a swift hug. "I didn't mean to make it sound like that," he murmured. "It wasn't anything you guys could have done. He didn't ***want*** you to know. The only reason I did was because I snooped around and never left him alone when he tried to ignore me. I figured if he wanted to start over so badly, it was better that no one knew." He sighed. "Guess that's why I've never been the smart one ... "

"Stop it," Adam muttered. "You're not stupid."

He smiled wryly. This argument never seemed to get old. "And you're not weak," he retorted quietly.

Adam chuckled, leaning into him.

He inhaled the other boy's scent, smiling despite the situation. -( _I never thought I'd get the chance _... )- His heart swelled, and for once he didn't have to remind himself that it wasn't what he wanted it to be.

:: _Having fun?_ ::

His eyes shot open. "Justin?"

:: _So we're exposing each other's weaknesses now, are we? _:: A dark chuckle echoed through his mind, sending shivers down his spine. :: _Then the gauntlet is thrown. You want a real fight: I'll give it to you. _::

"Justin, no!" He reached out, his eyes searching wildly.

:: _That's right, Rocky. You should be scared._ :: There was another chuckle. :: _Let's meet on Saes._ ::

"Justin, wait! We - Let's talk about this!"

:: _I don't think so. You'll finally get to see just how 'different' I am these days. _:: That laugh again. :: _See if you can get there first. _::

"Justin!" He scrambled to his feet, spinning as he tried to find where he'd gone. "Justin!"

"***Rocky***!"

Adam's hands were on his shoulders, shaking him, forcing him to look into his eyes. "What is it? What about Justin?"

"_Dios mio_." His eyes stared straight forward in horror as he paled. "What have I done?" he whispered.

"Rocky? Rocky, talk to me," Adam begged.

His eyes focused at last, staring at his boyfriend. "Justin ... He heard me. Us. He knows that I told you. He said ... He's going to give us a real fight. He said he'll meet us on Saes."

"How do you know?"

He blinked, rationality seeping in through panic at last. "I don't know," he whispered. He stared at Adam, shaking his head. "I heard him ... but I don't know how."

Adam's eyes narrowed. "Let's get everyone together."

He started to lead him to the door, but Rocky paused, gently tugging his arm free and heading back to the alter of candles. Picking up the long matchstick that rested before them, he carefully lit each and every single candle. Bowing his head, he murmured "We ***will*** save you Justin. We'll save you from yourself."

Dropping the matchstick, he hurried after Adam.

* * *

Castine raised an eyebrow as Chrin and Billy finally skidded into the control room and turned off the alarm. Both were covered in dirt and grease, their hair wild and clothing rumpled. "What is it?" Chrin demanded.

"There's going to be an attack on Saes," Milos told him distractedly, already trying to scan for more information.

"Saes?" Billy repeated, staring. "Saes is a research colony. The only residents are civilians and scientists. What tactical advantage would one hope to gain by staging an attack on such a peaceful location?"

"Justin - I mean, Zeus, is challenging us."

Everyone looked at Rocky. He was frowning as he watched Milos work, folding his arms and tapping his fingers on an elbow impatiently. Adam hesitated before reaching up to put a hand on his shoulder.

"How do you know that?" Jason asked warily.

Rocky didn't answer, still staring at the viewing screens.

Adam squeezed the shoulder slightly. "Rocky?"

He jumped, blinking at him. "Huh?"

Adam gave him a faint smile. "How do you know Zeus is challenging us," he repeated.

Rocky blinked again, shifting a little. "I don't know," he admitted. "I heard his voice ... in my head."

Pahla's head came up, eyes narrowing. "In your head?"

He nodded somewhat unwillingly. "I don't know how ... I just heard his voice. I thought he was in the room somewhere, but Adam never heard it. Just ... me," he finished uncomfortably.

"Telepathy." Vengi informed him. "There must be a telepath among them that spoke to you."

The hope that lit Rocky's eyes was more than obvious. "You mean I'm not crazy?"

Vengi shook his head, trying not to smile. "No, Rocky."

"Got it!" Milos declared triumphantly. He froze as his eyes scanned the screen.

"What is it?" Chrin demanded, moving quickly to his side.

"T-the Dark Rangers," he answered. His voice shook slightly. "They ... they're heading toward Saes with Zords. And a fighter squadron. Saes won't survive." His eyes were wide as he looked up.

"The Power Flyers won't be enough." Theovis looked angry, but his eyes were worried.

"We still have the Astro Megaship. We'll back you up," Andros declared, his expression booking no argument.

"And the Delta Megaship," Zhane agreed, frowning.

"But Andros can't control the Delta Megaship while we're with the Astro." Ashley protested. "A monster fight is one thing, but not during a space battle."

Andros shook his head. "Zhane can - "

"The Dino Rangers can handle it," Zhane interrupted. He shook his head at Andros' startled look. "It's better if she's piloted with a team."

"Actually, I'd rather Kimberly take the Pterodactyl," Chrin said absently, going over another screen. "It's more than ready for battle, and no one knows it better than her."

"The Pterodactyl?" Kimberly repeated, looking stunned.

Billy nodded. "Chrin and Alpha 5 have reproduced and grossly updated the DinoZords; all are more than prepared for altercation. However, being a confrontation in space, Pterodactyl is the only DinoZord currently available to partake in this particular skirmish."

Kimberly blinked.

"They rebuilt the DinoZords, but Pterodactyl is the only one that'll fly in space," Trini informed her.

"Oh." She hesitated, then nodded, her eyes determined. "I'll do it."

Tommy stared at her. "Kim - "

She looked up at him with a slight smile. "You guys'll be there to back me up with the Delta Megaship, right?"

"Of course," Jason answered quickly, shooting Tommy an odd look as he continued to stare.

"You know we've always got your back, Kim," Zack told her with a grin.

"You'd better," she teased in return.

Pahla smiled at their display. "I shall join you as well. My White Dragon shall be more than up to this task."

"As will I," Phantom put in softly.

"Is there anything ***we*** can do?" Aisha asked, biting her lip as she silently pointed out the fact that not everyone had a Zord now.

Castine gave her a smile. "We would greatly appreciate it if some of you would help Alpha 5 to monitor the battle for us from here."

"I will," Kat volunteered.

"Me, too," Tanya put in.

"The rest of us can try to evacuate the colony," Adam suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Jason agreed. "Let's get to it. It's Morphin' Time!"

"Dragonzord!"

"Mastodon!"

"Pterodactyl!"

"Triceratops!"

"Saber-Tooth Tiger!"

"Tyrannosaurus!"

"Black Ranger Power!"

"Yellow Ranger Power!"

"Red Ranger Power!"

"Zeo Ranger 1, Pink!"

"Zeo Ranger 2, Yellow!"

"White Taeo, Ready!"

"Shadow Ruby!"

"Ranger Mode, Blue!"

"Ranger Mode, Pink!"

"Ranger Mode, Yellow!"

"Ranger Mode, Green!"

"Ranger Mode, Red!"

"Let's Rocket!"

"Light Crystal! Yellow!"

"Time to Shine! Power of the Black Star!"

"Power of the Purple Star!"

Everyone looked at one another when the display of light and energy finally faded. At last Black Dino put his hand out. Without a word, hands piled on top. This time however, it wasn't a shout but a prayer, and a declaration of loyalty.

"Power ***Rangers***."

-( _Power protect us all_, )- White Taeo prayed silently.


	39. Into Battle

**Author's Notes/:** When trying to picture the new Pterodactyl Zord, think Dino Thunder - but in pink. For the cockpit, think of Crane Zord in Might Morphin' Power Rangers: The Movie.

Also, kudos to anyone who notices the other movie reference. -Winks-

Chapter 39:Into Battle

"Time to earn your keep, you wussies," Zeus informed the Dark Rangers as they gathered on the bridge of the Dark Fortress.

Zedd's visor began to glow a brilliant red. "What - "

Anything else he was about to say was cut off by the seal of violet fire that suddenly appeared over his mouth.

"Shut up and listen," Astronema sneered at him.

"The Turbo Megazord will be taking on the Astro Megazord, because that's the only decent zord the Ranger Retards have at the moment. For those of you who don't have the brains to remember who that means, Scorpina takes Red Lightning, Spectra Dune Star, Divatox Wind Chaser, and the flying monkey gets Desert Thunder. And just so we're clear on this ... " His eyes flashed with navy light as he turned. "This is ***my*** megazord, which means you all do what ***I*** say. Got it?"

Scorpina nodded calmly, while Spectra just gave a blank stare. Goldar growled softly, but said nothing. Divatox looked like she was about to say something, but found herself silenced by Tearrah's elbow.

"Serpentera, Emerald Zord, and Cobra Zord are all ready to go," Zeus informed them all. "You're going to be part of the aerial attack on our target, the planet Saes. The three of you will answer to Astronema in the MegaWinger."

Rita rolled her eyes. "Big surprise there."

Zedd gave a muffled snarl of agreement.

Zeus ignored them, instead turning to Demoness. "I have a special job for you," he told her.

She raised a silent eyebrow.

He gestured for her to step away from the others with him. The other Dark Rangers stared in irritation as he spoke softly. Demoness' only sign of reaction was to tilt her head slightly with a faint murmur. At last she nodded one to his response, and left the bridge without another word.

"Ooh! Ooh! What about me?" Rito cried, bouncing up and down in the back of the room and waving his hand in the air. "What can I do? Oh, let me do somethin', pretty please?"

"Fine!" Zeus snapped, rolling his eyes. "Organize some Quantrons for the aerial attack as well. Add in any other foot soldier you can stick in a fighter ship."

Rito cheered loudly, his head launching off his shoulders into a back flip before resettling. "Yay! I get to organize stuff!"

"Just go!" Zeus, Astronema, Rita, Divatox, and Goldar all shouted at him. Zedd may have attempted to shout as well, but Astronema still had yet to remove her seal.

Rito jumped, cowering slightly. "Geez ... You don't all have t'be so mean about it."

* * *

The Eltarian Rangers waited impatiently in the hanger for their Power Flyers to come online. The Flyers looked like nothing more than five small one-person fighter planes, each in silver with a colored number on either side. They were light and fast, but their shielding was far from what Chrin would like it to be.

"Do you think they'll be all right?" Yellow asked suddenly.

"They'll have to be," Red said shortly.

Pink put a hand on her arm, ignoring him. "They've been Rangers longer then all of us have been operational. They'll be fine," she murmured.

"Yeah, they'll be fine," Green put in with forced cheeriness.

Yellow nodded back, trying to feel confident. For all their problems, she liked these strange new Rangers. Privately, she prayed to the Power for their safety.

"Power Flyers Online," Blue announced. "Ready, everyone?"

"Ready!"

* * *

"It's Morphin Time! Cobra!"

The Dark White Ranger nearly shivered at the feeling of Power coursing through her. ***Nothing*** had ever compared to being a Ranger, and nothing ever would.

She studied her left fist almost absently, abruptly punching it into the sky as her right hand dropped to her belt. "Ninjetti Cobra Zord, Power Up!"

The Zord came to her call swiftly, slithering through the sky like the great white serpent it was. More than machine, not quite alive, it was beautiful. Zedd's pitiful attempt at a serpent-based Zord would never match up to the deadly grace and accuracy of the great snake.

She teleported into the cockpit, running her hands along familiar controls with a sense of nostalgia. "Come, Darling," she murmured lovingly, caressing the side of the console before her as her other hand grasped one of the control sticks. "Let's play."

The Zord reared up in mid-flight, opening it's hood and baring its fangs menacingly.

* * *

"This way, Kimberly," Alpha 5 told her, tottering off from the others.

The rebuilt Pterodactyl was almost nothing like the old one. The chunky, block look was gone. Now she was smooth and graceful, with wings that actually ***flapped***. Rather than being mostly red with white wings, she was almost entirely pink, with white accents.

"She's beautiful," Pink Dino murmured.

Pterodactyl let out a screeching cry, settling in an almost self-satisfied manner.

She smiled beneath her helmet, touching her Morpher to teleport to the cockpit.

Even this was far different from the original. There were buttons ***everywhere***. Thankfully, the Power was already telling her what they did and when to use them. Monitors lit the front dashboard, lights blinking around them insistently. Only two things remained the same; the single joystick in the front, for one. The second made her grin.

"Nice stereo," she murmured, taking hold of the joystick. "Are we ready to fly, girl?"

With an almost triumphant cry, the Zord took off.

* * *

Her fingers seemed to move on their own, entering codes and tactical maneuvers she barely remembered. They ghosted through schematics as she only partially understood what she was seeing. But above all, her body moved instinctively into battle.

She glanced down instinctively at her chest, where the triangular emerald rested against her green armor. It glowed softly in response, almost seeming to smirk at her.

"You don't own me," she growled at it. "This battle is ***mine***." She slammed her fist against the control panel for emphasis.

Emerald Zord hummed with life once again.

* * *

The small fighter wasn't Phantom Ranger's favorite model, but it would serve its purpose. Her fingers were swift as she brought the systems online, but she still found herself fighting to keep her emotions in check. The Traitor was here. Finally within her reach.

"At last ... You ***will*** answer to ***me***," she whispered, eyes narrowing behind her helmet.

Preparing to push the small ship to its limits, she left the Astro Megazord hanger and headed into space.

* * *

To say she hadn't dreamed of this moment would have been lying, and she never lied to herself.

Everyone else was another matter.

The thought of draining the Rangers' Powers had been a common one, as had stealing them. But actually ***becoming*** a Ranger hadn't been something she'd thought about. She was a sorceress, princess, and chosen heir of Dark Spectre himself. What did she want to be a Power Ranger for?

"Let's Rocket!"

Damn, but she'd never known what she was missing.

The tingling fire that raced through her veins was like nothing she'd ever known. She was invincible, unstoppable. And such ***Power*** at her fingertips!

And even her own little minions to control.

"Red, Green, White, report in," she snapped into the comm system.

-( _Although_ ...)- she mused to herself as the MegaWinger responded to her and she found herself controlling the- *her* Zord at last, -( _If I had to choose to be a Color, Silver would *definitely* be it_. )-

* * *

"Sacred Dragons Arise! Dragon of Vision, I summon thee!"

White Taeo waited, clutching the summoning medallion to her chest as her heart pounded. She was nervous; she rarely fought without her team. She'd never faced such a battle without her brother. And every instinct she had was screaming in warning.

With a triumphant roar, her dragon appeared at last. Designed after the mystic dragons of old and upgraded with the most advanced technology her solar system had to offer, it was a sight to behold. The mechanical scales glittered in silvery white as it came toward her.

Breathing deeply, she raised the medallion once more. Clearing her mind, she called "Strength of Unity; Combine!"

Warmth flooded through her being as she was absorbed by the Sacred Dragon, their minds merging. When her eyes opened once more, she saw with the Dragon's eyes. Following where They sensed the enemy, They moved out.

* * *

That stupid brat had messed with his Zord.

Zedd growled to himself as he ran the start up sequence for Serpentera. The mists of evil that had flowed through the cockpit were gone now, as Zeus had claimed they were 'impractical'. The throne behind his station for Rita was no longer there, although he wasn't exactly heartbroken over that.

With another frustrated snarl, he reached up to tear at the seal still over his mouth with his fingers. The claws shredded his flesh in an instant, and he could feel the warm, sticky sensation of blood running down his chin. But still he persisted, enforcing his battle with sorcery. The muscles of his face burned.

At last the seal broke free, crumbling beneath his fingers. Murmuring in satisfaction, he absently rubbed an arm across his face, smearing the blood. He paid no notice to the blood splattering across the control panel as he turned his attention to his Zord when it began to come to life at last.

After all, he had Rangers to kill.

* * *

The moment Silver Astro and the remaining Dino Rangers teleported onto the bridge of the Delta Megaship, he was moving. "Delta Megaship, Online. Authorization: Glitterbug."

There was a soft chirp. "Authorization accepted. Light greetings, Zhane," a computerized voice returned. Unlike D.E.C.A., this one seemed a bit older and huskier than the somewhat motherly-sounding computer for the Astro Megaship.

"No time to be pleasant, G.I.R.A," he returned grimly. "We're heading into space battle."

"Powering battle systems," the computer returned immediately.

Quickly, he pointed out the stations to his left. "That's Weapons and Navigation." Turning to the right, he added "There's Internal Systems and Communications. Who's the pilot?"

Blue Dino pointed to Green. "I believe that Tommy possesses the most battle experience."

Silver Astro nodded. "The shielding station is in front of the piloting controls."

"I'll handle shields," Red Dino announced, sliding into the seat as everyone headed to their station. "Zack, can you take over Internal Systems too?"

"Not a problem, Jase."

Green Dino stared. "But ... but Jason ... you're - "

Red was already shaking his head. "You've got a lot more experience than I do, Tommy. We'll need it. I can handle the shields just fine."

"Navigational systems are online," Blue announced.

"Weapons are armed and ready," Yellow put in.

"Internal Systems are running fine, and I've got an uplink to the Power Cathedral. Tanya's got us patched in to the other lines," Black told them.

Swallowing hard, Green Dino took his place at the piloting controls. "Anything I should know?" he asked Silver Astro.

"She's an older model, so she's a bit heavier. Be careful on the maneuvers," he returned.

"Zhane?" the computer questioned.

He looked up at the main camera of the bridge. "These are the Dino Rangers, G.I.R.A. They'll need your help." His voice was quiet, softer than usual. "I have to help the Astro Rangers." He hesitated, then added "Take care of my friends."

"Of course."

He looked around. "Good luck, guys."

"You, too," Black Dino told him seriously.

He nodded, and teleported.

There was a moment of silence.

"Billy, you got a lock on Saes?" Red asked.

"Affirmative. Setting course now."

"Got it." Forcing away his nervousness, Green Dino pushed the ship into warp.

* * *

"Turbo Megazord Morph Sequence: Online," Dark Blue ordered. He dimly acknowledged the responses he received, focusing on his zord as he adjusted the size modulator for Zord Mode.

The first time he'd done this, it had been new and exciting. So many things he found himself automatically understanding how to do. The thrill of ***finally*** being able to drive again. The adrenaline rush that came with the thought of going into his first battle.

"Initiate - oh, whatever. I'm setting up the damn zord," Dark Purple informed them.

He braced himself for the slight jolt that came with the merging of each new zord to his. But things were different now. Now this was ***his*** Zord, ***his*** team - even if it wasn't necessarily the one he would have chosen himself. His eyes narrowed behind his helmet.

And no one was going to baby him ***this*** time, damn it.

Navy lightning flashed around him as he was automatically teleported into the newly-made cockpit. This was no different than he remembered it, excluding Dark Gold to his left, with Dark Black on her other side. Dark Yellow was behind him, and the idiot Dark Purple rounded out the back corner. Each of them examined their new station, familiarizing themselves with the controls.

Corrupted Power didn't work on the same level as the ordinary Power did. They didn't automatically know what to do, the way the Turbo Rangers originally had. That, and these Zords hadn't been made specifically to their Power source. Zeus had been forced to give them all a crash course in operating a Turbo Zord, much to his 'delight'.

They damn well better remember everything. If they so much as ***scratched*** his Zords, there'd be hell to pay.

He checked his targeting monitors with a practiced eye. All weapons appeared to be armed and operational. And best of all, the little addition he'd put in: the ability to keep tabs on what each of the other stations was doing.

During that first battle against Maligore, the other Rangers had been concerned about the idea of a twelve-year-old behind the weapons station. It wasn't like they had a choice: the Power automatically adjusted each station per Ranger as it saw fit. But they had still avoided using anything but the Power Sword, and he'd seen Kat peering over his shoulder the entire time.

It would not happen again.

It would ***never*** happen again.

* * *

Red Astro barely looked up as Silver teleported onto the bridge, fingers already flying over adjustments to the piloting controls. He moved aside without a word, letting his partner take over. "Everyone ready?"

"We're online with the others," Yellow answered.

"No problems yet," Pink announced.

"Weapons are ready," Black said grimly.

"I've got coordinates for Saes," Blue put in.

Silver finally stopped making adjustments, but his body remained tense. "Shields are at full power."

"Let's go."

* * *

"Squad One, move out. Squad Two, prepare for launch. Squad Three, stand by."

He wasn't sure why it seemed almost natural to be giving orders. It wasn't like anyone ever thought he was smart enough to take charge. He was usually just allowed to run around causing havoc with a bunch of monsters at his back.

Sort of like now ...

But despite what everyone believed, Rito Revolto was no idiot. And tactical maneuvers were somewhat of a specialty of his - when he got the chance to actually ***make*** them. It was like everything in his mind just silenced, leaving nothing but rational and analytical thought. He could predict which way his enemies were going to move, and plot his own counterstrike accordingly.

He wondered absently if he'd be good at chess as he hummed cheerfully to himself.

* * *

"Do you wish you'd gone?" Kat asked softly.

They were in standby mode, helmets placed on a console behind them as they worked. There really hadn't been any need for either of them to morph, but it ***would*** help with reaction time. And something about being Powered up, even partially, made them both feel better. Both girls were incredibly nervous; neither of them had spent much time monitoring any battles before. But the rest of the Rangers came in larger teams, teams that couldn't afford to remain behind.

Tanya glanced at her. "A little," she admitted, thinking of Vengi, "But we're more needed here."

Kat smiled slightly. "Yeah."

Tanya reached over to squeeze her hand. "Besides, we come as a set now, right?"

The smile widened. "Of course!"

They remained that way for a moment, squeezing one another's hand as they smiled at each other. At last they both turned back to their duties. Their hands remained together for a moment before Kat released her at last with one final squeeze, feeling reassured.

"I've got the Astro and Delta Megaships linked up to the main communication line," Tanya announced. She scanned one of the monitors. "The Power Flyers and Pterodactyl just signed in."

"Scanning for the enemy," Kat put in.

"The landing team just arrived on Saes." Tanya looked up as Kat gasped. "What is it?" she demanded.

"Serpentera ... "

"What?"

Kat turned to her. "Serpentera, the MegaWinger, a giant snake, and something called 'Emerald Zord' just appeared in the airspace around Saes." She hesitated. "And the Turbo Megazord is attacking the colony."

"But T.J. and the others said the Turbo Zords were destroyed!" Tanya protested.

Kat shook her head. "I don't know ... Justin - I mean, Zeus, must have ... rebuilt them I suppose." She shrugged helplessly.

Tanya turned back to her console, eyes narrowing. "All Rangers, come in. The Dark Rangers are on Saes. I'm sending you Zord information now."

"_This is the Astro Megaship. We'll take Serpen - _"

"_***We'll***__ take Serpentera,_" Red Dino interrupted. "_We know Zedd best; leave it to us._"

"_Emerald Zord is __***mine***__,_" Phantom Ranger's voice was nearly a snarl.

"_Leave the fighters to us,_" came from Blue Eltarian.

White Taeo's voice was firm, but there was an odd, gravelly quality to it. "_We shall confront the MegaWinger._"

"_Then we'll handle the Turbo Megazord,_" Red Astro finished, sounding slightly annoyed.

Pink Dino seemed mildly amused. "_I guess that leaves me helping out the Eltarian Rangers and dealing with the giant snake. Gee, thanks guys._"

"_How are you doing, Kim?_" Black Dino asked, his grin apparent in his voice. "_Like the new Zord?_"

"_It's harder to fly than Chrin made it sound,_" she complained.

"_The Power should tell you how to operate it,_" Blue Eltarian returned.

"_Oh, it is,_" she assured them all. "_But this is still more complicated than the original. Not that I mind," she put in quickly. "It's just strange to have to make sure she flies._"

"_What?_" Green Dino interjected in alarm.

"_She doesn't automatically fly on her own the way the other Pterodactyl did,_" she explained. "_She'll hover, but there's a button you have to press to keep the wings flapping. Makes gliding easier, though,_" she added after a moment's pause.

"_Will you be all right?_" Red Dino asked cautiously.

She snorted. "_Jason, I learned how to fly before we were Rangers. Trust me; I'll be fine._"

"_Just making sure._"

There was a humph, and Kat and Tanya exchanged grins.

"_Coming up on Saes now,_" Blue Astro announced abruptly.

"_Holy ... _" Black Dino breathed. "_They're __***everywhere***__!_"

Kat clenched a fist. "Good luck everyone."

"_We'll need it,_" Black Astro muttered.

* * *

She chose Piranhatrons to accompany her. Noisy and ineffective as she found most minions to be, these would at least be a pointless distraction, and marginally more competent than Rita and Zedd's putties or Tengas. The Nianthi Vengeance had given to Zeus were deadly at times, but she wasn't looking to kill. And Astronema's Quantron's would just be a waste of labor.

She would have preferred to go alone, but it was necessary for her to intimidate and divert attention from the rest of the battle. After all, the more the Light Rangers divided their resources, the easier it would be to break them. Or so Zeus believed.

She had seen their record so far, and was far more cautious in how she planned to engage them. The Piranhatrons for one thing, would serve as a way to observe their fighting ability. It would also give her a chance to see how easily they were threatened by an opponent.

Out of habit, she found herself lightly touching below the right and left sides of her collarbone, each breast, and her stomach. Moving the hand back up over the center of her chest, she bowed her head to murmur in Cartocian. "_For - _"

She paused, frowning. The old prayer no longer held true for her. She did not fight for the spoiled brat, the world she had left behind, or the group of fools that had followed in her wake. Now she fought ...

"_For myself,_" she whispered. Jerking her head back up, she gestured silently for her troop to follow.

* * *

"Everyone listen up! This is an emergency situation. We need everybody to please calmly head to the exits."

No one looked up.

Red Ninja blinked beneath his helmet. "Uh ... hello?" He frowned, thumping the side of his head with a hand. "My translator ***is*** working, right?" he asked the others behind him.

"By the Power's grace, be quiet!" someone snapped at him. "Can't you see this is a critical moment in the experiment? Reds ... " he added under his breath in irritation.

"Excuse me?" Yellow Ninja demanded.

Purple Gold Star moved forward, leaning threateningly over the shoulder of one of the members of the group. "Are you ignoring a direct order from a Power Ranger?" she asked menacingly. "This ***is*** an emergency situation, and provided we all live through it, I ***will*** have you brought up on charges."

The scientist shot her a furious glare. "Timing is critical for this experiment."

"It's also critical in keeping you alive," she retorted.

The sounds of explosions could be heard in the distance, and the room suddenly tilted.

"Too late!" Black Ninja cried. "Everyone out!"

The explosions were practically outside the door within moments. Scientists ran around screaming, some frantically trying to grab their work and take it with them. One woman actually demanded that another two help her drag along a console at least twice her size.

"Oh, for the love of - !" Yellow Ninja seized the woman by the arm and forcibly dragged her along, ignoring her angry protests.

"Where is the a defense shelter in this building?" Black Gold Star demanded of a man who seemed to be somewhat less frazzled.

"No ... Why should there be?" he responded dazedly.

Black Gold Star came as close to swearing as the Power would allow. "A fortified room of some kind?"

The man brightened a little. "There is the weapons test lab ... "

Red Ninja didn't need to be told twice. "Everyone to the weapons test lab!" he bellowed.

Amazingly enough, they actually began to comply. The Rangers hurried them along, eager to get them all to safety. There was no telling what the Dark Rangers wanted from this place, and the sooner the civilians were safe, the better.

Several minutes had passed before Black Ninja suddenly paused. "Weapons lab?"

That was when the door broke open.

From there, the world dissolved into chaos.


	40. Battle Cries

**Author's Notes/:** Do not quote me on my French. I took two years of French class years ago. And I don't have absolute faith in my pocket French Dictionary; I'm sure I've conjugated something wrong.

Chapter 40:Battle Cries

The Astro Rangers stared at the Turbo Megazord standing on the opposite side of the clearing from them. "I think I'm gonna be sick," Pink murmured.

"Hold it in," Blue advised, not sounding much better himself.

"We always knew Justin was a genius," Yellow said softly. "And if Zeus wanted a way to get back at us, this is ... " She couldn't bring herself to finish.

"Is," Blue corrected sharply without meaning to, his eyes still on the main viewscreen. "***Is*** a genius."

"What's wrong with all of you?" Red demanded, looking around at his teammates.

"That's the Turbo Megazord," Black answered, his eyes still on the main viewscreen. "The one Divatox destroyed in our last battle as the Turbo Rangers."

Red paused, Silver glancing up at them all. "Those are your old Zords?" Silver asked.

"Not anymore," Blue returned grimly.

Red and Silver exchanged a silent glance.

"Let's do this, guys," Red announced at last, trying to sound confident.

"Right!" everyone agreed.

* * *

The Dino Rangers had never been in an aerial dogfight before. Green had flown the Falcon and Phoenix Zords, but otherwise had no real piloting experience. And despite the way everyone had made it seem, piloting a space ship was ***not*** the same thing as flying an individual Zord.

-( _For one thing_, )- Green thought to himself, throwing the ship to the right as fast as it would turn, -( _You only need to worry about __***yourself***__ in a Zord. If I screw this up, the entire team is going down with me_. )-

"_Will someone shut Tommy up?_" Pink Dino demanded over the open com link. "_I'm trying to concentrate!_"

Black eyed the communication console. "Uh, Kim? Tommy's not saying - "

"_Empathy, Zack! Empathy! Like Pahla was talking about!_" she snapped back. There was a brief shriek, followed by a yell of rage. "_I just __***got***__ this Zord! If you scratch the paint, so help me ... !_"

Green found himself glancing over as well, despite his resolve not to, and was quickly forced to refocus as a series of blasts rocked the ship wildly.

"_Tommy's projecting, and I can feel it all the way over here!_" Pink continued, nearly snarling. "_Either tell him to stop panicking, or hit him until he does!_"

"Thanks for your concern!" he growled in irritation, unable to help himself.

"Tommy!" Blue said sharply.

He swung wide, rolling out of the way of Serpentera's tail, and nearly into a round of laser fire.

"We're all gonna be destroyed ... " Black muttered, clutching at his seat.

* * *

Thankfully, Andros had insisted they study their enemies while they'd been heading toward Phaedos, so they all knew who she was. They'd gone over her strengths and weaknesses, her background, even her medical records. Even so, dressed in a sexy skin-tight rusted pink dress and black stiletto boots, backed by an army of Piranhatrons, she was imposing.

"Where is the Zeo Blaster?" Demoness demanded.

Red Ninja's eyes widened beneath his helmet. "Did she say Zeo?"

"Did she say ***Zeo Blaster***?" Black Ninja hissed.

"It's called 'The Zionized Substantial Resistance Laser Intensity Blaster!" the console woman snapped.

Someone else elbowed her sharply. "The project was scrapped," another girl corrected hastily. "We weren't able to - "

"Spare me," Demoness interrupted coldly. "Give it to me. If you do not, no one will leave this building alive."

"That's a bold threat," Purple Gold Star snarled.

She received a mildly annoyed look in response. "I do not make threats, _ma petite_." She turned her left fist outward and lifted it high into the air. A gold ring flashed with rusted pink light on her middle finger. "_C'est Morphin Time! Le bouclier poucoir, Rose_!"

Pink Light swirled out from the ring, wrapping downward around her body until she glowed with pure energy. A white shield formed in front of her, blinding everyone around. When it faded, her uniform was entirely pink except for white gloves and boots, and a white vest that had formed over her torso, ending in a 'v' shape over her belt. Five squares of color covered the front of the vest in Red, Yellow, Pink, Blue, and Green. All of the colors of her uniform had darkened into an ugly, dull version of the usual bright colors a Ranger wore.

"_C'est magnifique, non_?"

Red Ninja knew what she'd said; his translator had told him. '_It's Morphin Time! Power of the Shield, Pink!_' '_It's magnificent, no?_' But for some reason, it wasn't coming through his ears as English. It was still translating, but he was hearing the language and understanding the meaning, rather than simply hearing English the way it was supposed to. And the language she was speaking was most definitely not what he would have expected.

-( _French? Our enemy is a French gargoyle? _)- he wondered distantly, suddenly fighting down the urge to laugh.

"_Le bouclier Arme; épée jumeau_!" '_Power of the Weapon; Twin Sword!_"

Suddenly, he wasn't laughing anymore.

He'd sparred with Aisha plenty of times, but they didn't spar in Ranger form. Most of their enemies had used single swords or blasters, if they used weapons at all. He'd never fought anyone who used a weapon seriously other than some of the higher-up henchman, like Goldar and Scorpina, or Gasket and Archerina.

And Dark Pink was ***good***.

* * *

"_Well, whadda ya know. The communication system on this old heap still works!_"

Phantom froze at the sound of the voice coming through the com line. "Repulsa," she growled.

There was a hearty laugh in response. "_Don't worry; you can call me Rita._"

"Traitor!" she roared back. "I will call you - " The words that had come to mind immediately dissolved into a harsh coughing fit.

"_Now, now, __***that***__ isn't something a Light Ranger should say!_" Dark Green mocked, cackling gleefully. "_Only Dark Rangers are privileged enough to call their enemies a loose-legged whore who must have slept her way into the Collegiate, and's been using her cunt to pay the bills ever since she was evicted!_"

Phantom's vision went red. Her hand slammed down on the laser trigger, followed by a burst of cannon fire. She directed her ship straight into the blasts, preparing to ram the former Emerald Zord.

* * *

Communications was a much more complicated station than it seemed to be. When she'd first realized that was her duty - the very first time they'd used the Zeo Megazord - she'd felt gypped somehow. Of course, her first battle changed all that in a heartbeat.

Communications wasn't simple at all. It meant monitoring the Megazord's internal and external speakers for damage and performing any auto-repairs needed during the battle as quickly as possible. It was tracing any incoming transmissions and patching them through to the rest of the team. It even required ensuring that everyone's helmet speakers didn't go offline in the middle of the fight; after all, they couldn't fight as a team if they couldn't hear one another.

Part of monitoring incoming transmissions was keeping the unnecessary ones quiet so as not to distract the team. Any that were identified as important contact information had to be amplified for them all to hear. But to monitor them, ***she*** still had to listen.

It was something that required a lot of multi-tasking. She needed to be able to focus on that while still keeping her attentions on the battle. Team maneuvers, such as calling the Megazord Saber required focus and attention from all of them, and no one else would have the time to remind her that they needed her to help call it. But at the same time, she needed to keep one speaker open for any important information.

She'd volunteered to remain behind because she knew that she could do it, and that she and Kat made a smaller, more sensible team to remain behind. Now, though ... Now she wished she was monitoring any station but this one. ***Anything*** but this.

"_Flyer 3, to your left!_"

"_Dino Rangers, behind you!_"

"_Will someone shut Tommy up? I'm trying to concentrate!_" A shriek and yell of rage. "_I just __***got***__ this Zord! If you scratch the paint, so help me ... !_"

"_Traitor! I will call you - _"

"_White Dragon! Ten o'clock high!_"

"_Where are they all coming from?_"

"_Something wrong, Astro Rangers?_" A hearty laugh.

"_Yasta! Back off! Back off!_"

"_Argh!_"

Screaming. Cries of pain, fear. Calls of warning. It all whispered in her ear.

Tanya blinked back tears, focusing on protecting her friends in the only way she could.

* * *

The nice thing about flying a one-man fighter was that the Power forestalled any feelings of vertigo. He could turn in any direction, flip over as many times as he needed to, and his instruments would always keep him on target.

The noise over his communication line was louder than he was used to, though.

"_Flyer 3, to your left!_"

"_Dino Rangers, behind you!_"

"_I just __***got***__ this Zord! If you scratch the paint, so help me ... !_"

"_White Dragon! Ten o'clock high!_"

"_Where are they all coming from?_"

"_Argh!_"

It was a bit distract -

Green Eltarian swung sharply, swearing under his breath as laser fire clipped one of the wings.

"_Flyer 4, are you all right?_"

"Fine!" he snapped out tersely. "Just - " He twisted into a sharp spiral that both extinguished the fire on his wingtip and dodged another round of lasers. "Just a scratch!"

He swore again as he nearly flew straight into the Delta Megaship's assault. -( _There's too many ships in this area! _)- he cursed silently. -( _It's impossible to maneuver or coordinate any sort of attack! _)-

Suddenly "_Power Flyers, regroup!_" came through his private communications line. "_Flight pattern 52Gamma!_"

He dropped his thrusters, letting the enemies soar past as he turned his Flyer to find Flyer 1. Anxiety built as he realized he couldn't see him, couldn't see ***any*** of the other Power Flyers. He hadn't gotten himself separated from them all, had he?

"_Flyer 4! Green, where are you?_"

"I-I don't know!" he blurted out in frustration. "I can't see any of you! There's just - there's just fighters everywhere! I don't know - "

"_Milos! Calm down!_" Red Eltarian snapped back at him. "_You're going to short-circuit yourself if you don't restrain your emotion chip._"

He paused, trying to breathe. Not for the first time, he wished reverently that Zordon hadn't prevented them from being able to simply shut off the chip. His had malfunctioned only 34 incidences less than Ashren's to date.

"_What's the closest allied ship to you?_" came Pink Eltarian's calm voice.

He searched the stars frantically. "I don't see anyone! I saw the Delta Megaship a moment ago, but now there's just ... there's just enemy fighters ***everywhere*** ... "

"_I've got a lock on you_," Blue Eltarian informed him. "_Stay put; I'm coming to you._"

He felt a rush of relief even as he silently swore at himself again. He was a Power Ranger, for Power's grace! He shouldn't be glad to have his 'older brother' come to rescue him. He needed to find his own way out of situations like this. If he stopped panicking, everything would be so much simpler.

"_Flyer 4, look out!_" screamed a voice over his open com line.

Heat seared through his right side, and he cried out in pain.

"_Milos!_"

"I'm ... I'm all - "

::_Automatic Safety Shut Down Activated_::

* * *

The Mega Winger was fast, to be certain. It glided quietly and moved swifter than They'd expected. And rumors that Dark Specter's spoiled princess was helpless without her henchmen were most definitely wrong.

But They moved in ways that the tiny ship never would. It may be fast, but They were faster. They dodged attacks while flicking Their tail at the Zord. They turned, twisting around it as Their claws tore at the cannons. It was strong, but They were stronger.

Coiled around her Zord, They squeezed tightly, listening to the crunching of metal. It was not enough to injure, but They could hear alarms shrieking from inside. She would find it difficult to continue the fight now.

But Astronema fought with weapons They did not have.

Purple fire surrounded them, burning through Their armor. It seared through Their body into Their mechanical being. It burned, and Their Connection was broken.

Pahla screamed in agony as her mind separated from the White Dragon. The fire burned, and she could hear things exploding around her. The pain was too much; she couldn't hold on.

"Jason!"

* * *

She had thought she knew what it was to be in The Zone. Mind and body in perfect sync, moving more on instinct than actual thought. Every action perfectly performed and her mind absolutely clear.

She was wrong.

She was aware, distantly, that she was being shot at. She was also aware that she was surrounded. She knew the situation wasn't a good one, but somehow she couldn't be worried.

After all, she had a new, stronger Morpher, one built for ***her***, a brand new faster, stronger Zord, and she was full of energy and concentration. As long as Tommy wasn't -

-( _Darn it _.)- She scowled beneath her helmet. "Stupid overprotective - " She jerked the joystick to the left, turning Pterodactyl sharply, and soared above the enemy fighters. The Zord turned back on a wingtip so quickly they never saw her coming. She blasted the group with the breath weapon, followed by a few lasers to the remaining stragglers.

-( _Why does he have to be so paranoid? _)- she fumed silently. -( _How is that going to help anything? All it's doing is driving me cra_ - )-

"Oh, ***shi - ***!"

* * *

Red Dino went rigid in his chair, his body shaking with sudden spasms.

"Jason!" Yellow cried, spinning in her chair.

"Trini, wait!" Blue yelled, grabbing frantically for her as she ran to their leader. He spun back around as he missed and swiftly moved to reroute the weapons station to his own.

Yellow Dino dropped to her knees, supporting Red as he shuddered. "Jason?" she called, trying not to panic.

Green's head snapped up. "Kimberly?" he whispered. His eyes widened beneath his helmet. "***Kim***!" he screamed frantically.

"G.I.R.A.!" Blue shouted, struggling to be heard over Green. "Do you have automatic battle capabilities?"

"Of course," the computer responded, sounding miffed.

"Then engage with most alacrity!"

"Engaging Battle Mode," G.I.R.A. returned curtly.

Black Dino yelped as the ship swerved abruptly left, moving into a dive that left him clinging to his chair in an attempt to remain seated. Through the main viewscreen he could see laser fire lighting up the stars in front of them. Serpentera was swept with small explosions, moving to dodge.

Then the world tilted once more, and he grabbed frantically for the open com line. "This is the Delta Megaship! Something's happened to Red and Green! We're returning to Eltar!"

"What?" someone demanded. He couldn't tell who it was; he was too busy trying to figure out which way was up.

"Zack! I require assistance!" Blue shouted. He had abandoned his station and was now trying desperately to restrain Green, who didn't even seem to realize he was there.

"***Kim***!" Green bellowed again. He struggled frantically. "I've got to - ***Kimberly***!"

Stumbling as the ship rocked wildly, Black tried to make it to his side. He cried out as he was thrown to his knees, his head slamming painfully against a chair. Gritting his teeth, he crawled to Blue and Green.

Green grabbed for his belt buckle just before Black's hand closed around his arm, and was gone.

"Jason?" Yellow demanded anxiously as Red's seizures finally stopped.

"Pahla ... " he whispered, reaching up and grabbing for the front of her uniform. "Pahla's ... hurt. We gotta get her ... "

Blue stared at him. Something about him seemed ready to scream. "Pahla?" he repeated in a deceptively calm voice.

The ship moved again, and Black found himself rolling across the floor to slam against a wall. He grunted as Blue crashed into him. "G.I.R.A. ... " he groaned. "Is there any way we can get to White Taeo Ranger, or teleport her here?"

"Teleporting."

A crumpled form appeared on the bridge with swirls of white mist. Red reached for her, whimpering faintly. "Pahla ... ?"

"We've gotta bail!" Black told the others, cursing as his head cracked against the station above him when he tried to stand up.

"What about Tommy?" Yellow cried.

"We'll have to come back for him! G.I.R.A.! Get us out of here!"

"Understood."

Stars streaked the viewscreen as Black Dino clutched his throbbing head and prayed for everyone to be alright.

* * *

She ducked as the ax swung at her head, only to double over as the opposite end slammed into her stomach. Stars exploded before her vision, ears ringing as something slammed into either side of her head. No, helmet. That's right; she was wearing a helmet. Right?

She tried to touch the side of her head to be sure and found her wrist grabbed and swiftly twisted. There was an audible snap as she cried out in pain. She stumbled away from the other woman quickly, right arm dangling uselessly at her side.

This shouldn't be possible. She was ***morphed***. The suit was supposed to prevent broken bones and serious injuries. Her arm couldn't be -

She tried to move it and whimpered before she could stop herself. Apparently, it could. She turned to look at the damage only to stumble as her vision swirled.

"Aisha, look out!"

The world went black.

* * *

A sense of satisfaction was filling her. "Something wrong, Traitor?" Phantom sneered, targeting Emerald Zord with another round of missiles.

Her only answer was the sound of Dark Green's cursing.

While Dark Green had once been a Ranger, she was woefully out of practice. Spending 10,000 years in a dumpster and moving into a palace had dulled her piloting skills. They hadn't been needed, and while Ri-tah of Yu-tari had been an energetic fighter, Rita Repulsa was all about magic.

The Phantom Ranger had spent the last six years of her life piloting. The first year and a half as a Power Ranger, the rest as a vigilante protecting the innocent. She had never stopped honing her skills, and she never would.

And Rita Repulsa was nothing in comparison.

Grinning evilly beneath her helmet, she targeted Emerald Zord's main engines. Finally, ***finally*** the reason for her torment would be gone. Her desire for vengeance could be satisfied. "Goodbye, Traitor," she whispered, her hand falling to the launch button.

Emerald Zord disappeared.

She froze.

"No ... " she whispered, her eyes searching the skies. She turned to the ship, scanning frantically for any sign of the Zord. She searched desperately, slamming her hands against the console as nothing came back in return.

Emerald Zord and Rita Repulsa were gone.

She howled in wordless fury.

* * *

"This is ridiculous!" Silver Astro yelled. "They're matching every move we make!"

"I ***know***, Zhane," Red snarled, jerking the Astro Megaship to the right. He nearly elbowed his partner in the process, but there wasn't time to apologize. The megaship wasn't made for all six of them; that's why Zhane used the MegaWinger. But now that Zhane didn't have a zord, they needed to keep the Astro team as strong as possible. And in a fight against another megazord, he couldn't afford to concentrate on both piloting ***and*** shields. Instead they'd crammed Zhane in beside him, leaving barely any room for ***anyone*** to maneuver. And while he tried to focus on the fight before him, the tension around him was more than slightly distracting - to put it mildly.

Pink winced again as the sound of the two Power Swords clashing together echoed through her speaker. "Why are they so strong? I don't remember the Turbo Megazord being ***this*** strong!"

"It's faster, too," Blue put in, frowning down at his monitors. "Something's different about it."

"Of ***course*** it's faster!" Black snapped irritably, swearing to himself as he struggled to keep the Power Sword online. The fight was consuming massive amounts of energy, far more than they'd ever used before. "Those aren't ***our*** Turbo Zords! Zeus must have rebuilt them even stronger!"

"We have to find a way to overpower them!" Yellow put in urgently. "We've been at this for hours, and it's nearly sunset! The megazord won't last long without incoming solar power; we're using way too much energy as it is!"

"I'm ***open*** to ***suggestions***!" Red growled, trying to force them out of the grappling hold the two megazords had found themselves trapped in.

The Turbo Megazord released them without warning, forcing them to stumble back several steps.

"Ash, tell me you've got power ***somewhere***," Black demanded.

"I've already given you everything we can spare! Anymore and we won't have any energy to ***move***!"

Blue's head snapped up. "Andros, move! Move back! Get out of the way!" he yelled.

"What is it?" Silver demanded.

"They're powering up! If they hit us with the Spinout, we're done for!"

Red already had them moving the moment Blue started to speak. They were backpedaling, trying desperately to get away. Silver was frantically trying to direct any energy he could find into the shielding. But even as they moved, Blue knew it wouldn't be enough.

"Not fast enough!" Dark Blue laughed over the open com line.

The Turbo Megazord was moving, already starting to spin.

"They're going hit us!" Blue shouted.

"Everyone brace for impact!" Red bellowed.

"Engaging Fail-Safe Program," D.E.C.A. spoke up suddenly. "Teleporting all crew members to the Delta Megaship."

"What?" Pink cried.

"No, wait!" Red demanded. "D.E.C.A., stop! ***D.E.C.A*.**!"

The world dissolved into colored sparks.

* * *

The Astro Rangers reformed on the bridge of the Delta Megaship, startling the remaining coherent team members. They looked around themselves in confusion, shaken. But Red Astro had already turned, spinning to bring up the images of the battle site.

Everyone watched in horror as the Turbo Megazord slammed full-force into the Astro Megazord. Explosions rocked the other megazord's body, leaving it shaking and stumbling. It stood still for several moments, then began to fall.

And when it hit the ground, the Turbo Megazord turned, raising its Power Sword high. It seemed to move in slow motion, hovering in the air for a moment before crashing down on the Astro Megazord with a shower of sparks and painful crunch of metal. It continued its assault for several minutes before vanishing at last.

The Astro Megazord lay dark and still.

"***D.E.C.A.***!" Red Astro screamed.


	41. Aftermath

**Author's Notes/:** Many thanks to Dagmar for catching typos, as well as correcting my horrible French. ^_~ (In otherwords, some corrections to chapters 37 and 40.)

-Coughs- On which note, I'm still looking for anyone interested in being a beta ...

Also, I posted a poll on my bio which is to hopefully get some feedback for help with upcoming chapters. If anyone's willing to take a look, I would greatly appreciate it.

In the meantime, enjoy!

Chapter 41:Aftermath

"Who's made it back so far?" Kat asked, tucking her hair behind an ear with a shaking hand. She'd just left the medical wing, doing her best to help Ashren and Alpha 6 with the injured.

Tanya let out her breath slowly, looking up at her. "The landing party, the Eltarian Rangers, and Phantom. I haven't gotten anything from the Dino Rangers since Zack's last transmission, and I can't find them anywhere. Pahla's Zord is just ... gone, and there's no sign of Pterodactyl, either." She hesitated. "Alpha and - I mean, Alpha 5 and I - salvaged most of the Astro Megazord, but ... "

Kat closed her eyes. "Any sign of D.E.C.A.?" she asked softly, dreading the answer. While they had only been on the Astro Megaship for just over a month, all of them had grown fond of the ship's computer sentience.

Tanya managed to smile. "Yes," she answered, relieved to have ***some*** sort of good news. "Apparently she'd shut down her core and trapped herself in ... well, Alpha said it was like a little black box. We've ***definitely*** got that."

Kat's expression brightened in return. "Thank goodness ... " she breathed.

They smiled at one another for a moment before reality settled in, and their happiness faded. "The rest of the ship ... " Tanya shook her head. "She won't be flying any time soon. There's no sign of the Astro Rangers; it looks like they teleported to the Delta Megaship just before they went down, but ... "

"Thank goodness Kim left Prescott here," Kat murmured, biting her lip.

Tanya glanced up. "How's ... ?"

She winced. "Milos is ... " She shook her head. "I don't know. His arm is gone, and half of his face disintegrated in the explosion." She shuddered. "Ashren is well enough to help everyone else, and the other three weren't injured at all. Chrin said he'll take care of Milos." She sighed. "Phantom ***looks*** fine, but she won't let me anywhere near her to be sure. Vengi's fairly all right, and Litania and Yasta should heal quickly. I think we've finally got the bleeding stopped for Rocky and Adam ... "

"And Aisha?" Tanya asked after a pause.

She hesitated, looking away. "She still hasn't regained consciousness. We've managed to use the healing system on her arm and ribs, and closed the superficial wounds, but ... Ashren said in that case there's most likely internal damage, and she'd need to be more stable before we can use the system again for that. We're pretty certain she has a serious concussion. And then there's the burns ... "

There was a long silence.

Tanya punched the console in front of her, then cursed under her breath. "Sorry." she muttered. "I know another injury is the last thing we need right now."

Kat bit her lip as tears welled in her eyes. She moved to wrap her arms around her friend from behind, leaning her head on her shoulder. "They'll be okay," she whispered. "Everyone will be okay. They have to be."

"How can you be sure?" Tanya demanded, trying to choke back her own tears. "We've never ... It's never been this bad before."

"Yes, it has," Kat returned softly. "But it's always been okay in the end. And we have to believe that it'll be okay again."

Tanya swallowed, fighting desperately to hold in the sob working its way out of her throat.

"I'll believe that," Kat continued. She hugged Tanya gently. "And I'll keep believing it until you can, too."

Tanya remained silent as tears finally escaped, reaching up to squeeze Kat's hand.

* * *

He had absolutely no idea where he was. He'd appeared in a forest somewhere, looked around, and headed in the direction that said 'Kimberly'. He had no idea how long he'd been walking, why the others hadn't followed, or what condition she might be in when he found her.

He didn't care.

Kimberly needed him. He knew it as much as he knew that he was the Green Ranger. She had cried out, and she was in pain. All that mattered now was getting to her side.

He'd deal with everything else later.

* * *

No one had spoken since Andros screamed. Trini had taken Jason and Pahla to the Delta Megaship's Medical Bay. Ashley had dragged along Zack after Billy had absently mentioned how many times his head had been assaulted. Andros stared blankly out the main viewscreen, not seeming to notice anyone. Zhane had tried to speak to him, only to finally check on Cassie after giving up. She had disappeared into one of the bedrooms hours ago, looking rather ill. Billy himself was attempting to rewire the bridge stations to repair damage from the battle with help from Carlos. T.J. had returned to scanning for information on the Dark Rangers more for something to do than anything else.

The silence lingered.

* * *

Ashren slipped out the door silently. Rocky and Adam were resting quietly together, Yasta was sound asleep, and Aisha was still carefully strapped down in the healing system. Everyone else was gone, either in hiding like Phantom, searching for the others that were missing like Kat and Tanya, or off on their own, trying to calm down.

She went back the main room, curling herself up in one of the beanbag chairs, hugging her knees as she stared at the empty plasma tube where Zordon had once been. After a moment she laid her head down in her arms and closed her eyes. Her shoulders shook with silent tears.

It wasn't her first big battle. They'd fought plenty of times before. She may be young, but her team wasn't inexperienced. Not to mention ... before. When she and Milos had -

But even then, she'd never been on the losing side. She'd never had to see Milos teleported into the medical wing looking like ... like ...

She sobbed loudly before shoving a fist against her mouth. Everyone had their own problems to deal with. They didn't need to worry over her just because...

Because she was scared.

From the moment she was operational, Milos had been beside her. They were only a day apart, really. And they'd always been together, because ... well, that's just the way it should be. That's the way it was.

She'd never seen him like that. His right arm completely gone, circuitry visible through what remained of his Ranger uniform. His face looked like it had been ripped away, leaving only a few remaining components attached. She tried to pretend that he was just recharging, that any minute now he would open his eyes and ask why she was staring at him.

But there was only one eye to look back at her.

A hand settled on her shoulder. "Ashren?" Rocky asked softly.

She sniffled, rubbing at her eyes. She still didn't lift her head. "You shouldn't be up. I told you to rest."

"I was, but Adam said his head hurt and I have no idea what aspirin looks like in this place."

"I'll show you." She rubbed her eyes one more time before standing.

He looked horrified as he stared at her. "Ashren ... !"

She blinked. "Hmm?"

"You - your ... " He was trying to point at her face, but he couldn't seem to lift his hand much higher than his chest.

She reached up to brush an eye and found a set of eyelashes stuck to her fingers a moment later. She sighed, exasperated. "It's okay, that happens," she assured him as she turned to find a mirror. She took a moment to reattach them, careful to press down on her eyelid before it started to peel any further. "I'm not build as well as the others, so every once in awhile something comes off. Usually just when I'm not careful."

"What do you mean?" he asked hesitantly.

She blinked several times to make sure the lashes would stay before looking at him. "I wasn't built the way Chrin and Theovis and Castine were. We had a different creator. So we're rather inferior." She gestured to her eye again. "This just happens if I cry too often. We tried for forever to get Zordon to let us have control over the emotional components, but he refused. Said it made us less human if we could stop being emotional when we felt like it." She sighed irritably, instinctively starting to pout.

"We?"

"Mi - " She paused, tears welling again. After a moment she swallowed, forcing herself to continue. "Milos and me. We weren't built by Zordon. So we're ... we're not as ... " She shook her head, trying to smile. "You said aspirin, right? I'll show you where it is."

Rocky looked pained. "Ashren ... "

"I'll be okay," she interrupted him, struggling to keep that smile on her face. "Chrin will fix him, and everything will be fine. And then we'll get Zordon back, and he'll fix Brendas, and everything will be okay. It will. You'll see." At last she managed a more cheerful expression. "Come on. Aspirin, right? I'll show you."

* * *

"Cassie?"

She looked up, trying to offer Zhane a weak smile, and failed. Sighing quietly, she rested her chin on her knees as she hugged them to her chest. "Hi, Zhane."

"Any better?" he persisted.

She nodded slightly. "Now that I'm away from Andros ... "

He winced.

She glanced up again, and he was struck by how small and miserable she seemed. "Why, Zhane?" she whispered. "He ... he ***hurts***."

Taking a deep breath, he sat down beside her. He glanced at her somewhat warily. "Am I bothering you?"

She shook her head. "Worry and uncertainty, but nothing overwhelming."

He took a moment to search for words. "You don't know that much about Andros, do you?"

She snorted. "He doesn't exactly volunteer information," she pointed out. "Even Ashley has trouble prying things out of him." She frowned suddenly.

He cocked his head. "What?"

She sighed, reaching up to toss her hair back with a hand. "I don't really know how to control ... this." She gestured vaguely to her chest. "I just pulled myself away from everyone, and tried to close it off. But even then, after I became a Ranger I couldn't always block everyone. Andros was the first person I couldn't sense so easily."

After a moment to search for just what and how much to say, he sighed, too. "Andros has lost a lot of things in his life. His mother died in childbirth, and you know about Karone ... " He paused, glancing at the floor. "There was me, during the battle for KO-35."

She reached out to touch his arm in support, and he looked back up at her with a faint smile before going on.

"After I ... well, after that, he lost our team, and his father went missing in the attack. For the next two years, D.E.C.A. and the Astro Megaship were all he had."

Her eyes closed in sympathetic pain.

Then she looked at him warily. "Why was he so ... angry?"

"During the fight?"

She nodded.

He gave her a wry smile. "How often do we cram six Rangers into that cockpit?"

She grimaced. "True ... The Turbo Megazord cockpit was a lot bigger."

He gave her a hug as her face fell. "He isn't heartless, either. With all of you upset, and everyone else we weren't able to keep an eye on ... "

"He was worried."

He nodded, and they exchanged faint smiles. "Andros is such a pain sometimes," he sighed exaggeratedly.

"Yeah, and you've never caused any problems," she teased gently, pushing his shoulder.

He wrapped an arm around her, rubbing her shoulder as she leaned against his side. "He'll be okay," he murmured. "We all will."

She blinked rapidly. "You sure?"

"Positive."

* * *

"Well," Kimberly declared, staring up through the trees, "This is certainly a fine mess I've gotten myself into."

She'd managed to land the falling PterodactylZord, though she had absolutely no idea where she was. The Zord itself was completely powerless after the crash; she couldn't even turn on the cockpit lights. From what she could tell, it was battered and one of the wings was blackened, but it ***might*** be able to fly out of here. If it had power.

She'd demorphed to conserve energy and give herself a chance to assess her own injuries. Her chest ached from when she'd been slammed into the dashboard. So did the rest of her body, but she was pretty sure that was bruising from being thrown around. She felt rattled and shaken, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with her head. Her right knee was throbbing, and she had suspicions she'd sprained her left thumb - thankfully she was right handed. It was kind of strange, though - usually the Power took care of injuries before she demorphed. Even so, all in all she'd been incredibly lucky.

Other than the broken Zord.

"Perfect," she groused, glaring at it. "Just ***perfect***."

She sighed, sitting down on a rock to give her knee a rest. Leaning back, she resumed staring at the sky peeking through the trees. After a moment, she chuckled bitterly. "And here I was trying to tell Tommy I didn't want to be a damsel in distress anymore. Fat lot of good that did me," she murmured, blinking back tears.

After a moment, she shook her head. "No," she declared. "I am not doing this. I said I can take care of myself, and I ***can***. And I'm going to prove it by getting myself out of here. All on my own."

Silence answered her.

She scowled at the surrounding trees. "I will, too! Just watch me!"

They remained unimpressed.

Pushing herself back to her feet, she limped over to her Zord. "Okay. I didn't spend all those years listening to Billy-Speak for nothing," she reminded herself. "Now. If there's no power, we have to turn the power on. Where would the power be?" She frowned. "Power in a car comes from the battery. But do Zords even have batteries?" She made a frustrated noise. "This is ridiculous! Who do I think I'm kidding!" she shouted. "I can't fix a Zord! I'm a gymnast, not a mechanic! Why can't Zords come with an owner's manual?" Irritated, she kicked at the offending Zord in question.

The next moment she was swearing as much as the Power allowed and clutching her foot.

* * *

"Incoming transmission."

After glancing at Andros for reassurance that he wasn't going to answer her, T.J. looked up to the camera watching him intently. While D.E.C.A.'s camera lights were red, G.I.R.A.'s were a calm, soothing blue. "From who, G.I.R.A.?"

There was a pause. "The ship is unknown, but the person has identified themselves as the Purple Bavari Ranger."

He frowned. "Purple Bavari Ranger?" he repeated.

"Did you say Bavari?" Zhane demanded as he emerged from the Megalift.

Carlos raised an eyebrow at him. "Yeah. The Purple Bavari Ranger is trying to contact us."

Zhane straightened, looking startled. "Put it through, G.I.R.A."

He turned to the main screen just in time to find a Purple Ranger in one of the simplest uniforms he'd ever come across. It was plain purple, with the exception of two silver bars running across the chest from the right shoulder to left hip. The neck cover, belt, and gloves were all in the same shade of silver. No different from what they'd always worn; he wondered absently if Violet was still in service.

The Purple Ranger sat up so quickly it looked almost painful. "Zhane!" they cried joyously.

He blinked, then frowned. Allies or not, he didn't remember Violet being so energetic. "Yes ... ?"

There was a pause as he could of sworn the Ranger was staring at him. "You can't be serious!" they told him crossly. "You don't recognize me?" Humphing indignantly, they settled their hands on their hips and tossed their head in a way that suggested they were used to having long hair. "Chaos was right; you did inherit Gamble's brain ***and*** his morpher."

Zhane froze, staring. "Sprite?" he whispered.

The hands relaxed. "Who else, Glitterbug?" the Ranger returned warmly.

He struggled to contain himself as his eyes burned and the others were turning to stare at him. He forced out a laugh. "Dummy! You're supposed to use the code name ***first***, ***then*** pass code."

They crossed their arms with another humph. "Well, ***excuse me***! No one told me to expect you out here! Last I knew, you were still on KO-35. What in space are you doing out in R'ga?"

He blinked. "R'ga?" he repeated blankly. Brow furrowing, he looked up at G.I.R.A.. "You brought us to R'ga?"

"Last known data reported allies to the Kerova Rangers in R'ga," she returned primly.

"Nevermind that!" the Purple Ranger interrupted. "What are you ***doing*** here? Where are the other Neo-Kerova Rangers? Why haven't you brought the Astro Megaship?"

"Since when are you a Ranger?" he retorted, fighting the urge to grin like an idiot. "We need medical attention and repairs for the Megaship. Do you know any rest stations near here?"

He could see the dirty look he was being given through the helmet. "My brother doesn't ***need*** a rest station. I'm sending G.I.R.A. the coordinates to Sanctuary. Follow me; we'll take care of you as soon as you land."

He couldn't help giving a warm smile. "Thanks, Sprite."

"Don't thank me yet; I'm ***still*** not letting you get out of answering my questions!"

The transmission cut off abruptly, and he turned to the others with a beaming grin.

"Zhane ... ?" T.J. asked warily.

"That's the Purple Bavari Ranger," he told him, suddenly unable to stop smiling. "That's my sister!"

* * *

"Staring isn't going to wake her up."

Adam jumped, spinning around. Immediately he put a hand on his side, wincing in pain. Ashren wasn't going to like that.

Gentle hands pulled him away from the wound, carefully checking the bandages before pushing down into a chair. "Stupid," Litania muttered, moving to search one of the cabinets. "Ashren'll kill you if you hurt yourself again."

"I know," he murmured, turning to look back at the unconscious girl at his side. "But I can't help ... "

"Like I said, staring isn't going to wake her up," Litania retorted, pulling something out at last and pressing a bottle against his arm that promptly hissed. "That should help with the pain."

"Thanks."

She shrugged. "When you run into trouble as much as I do, you learn what works best for injuries."

He glanced over at her after a moment, watching her lean on the counter. "I though Tanya said you were a princess."

"I am." She tossed her hair over a shoulder. "First Princess of Direl, actually. Next in line for the throne. But I decided on Phaedos that I'm abdicating to my sister."

"Why?"

She gave him an amused look. "Do I look like ruling class to ***you***?"

"Yes," he answered honestly. "You fight to protect others, and you do your best in whatever circumstances are around you. I think you'd make a great ruler."

She looked at him for a minute. "I'm not," she said at last. "I can't stand listening to people whine about their problems. I have an incredible urge to hit one of my advisors whenever he opens his mouth, and I barely tolerate the others. I like to do things my way, and I want everyone to shut up when I do." She paused, looking down as she tossed her hair again. "The Silver Star Rangers exist to protect planet Gannos. They're supposed to be made up of the heirs to each of the five regions. The Gold Star Rangers are the secondary heirs, and they protect the system. But ... " She lifted her right hand suddenly, twisting it sharply. A large gold circle appeared on the back, strapped to her hand with a thick gold band. In the center of the circle was a bright purple star. "I was chosen by the Purple Gold Star Morpher, instead of the Secondary Purple Silver Star," she told him, gently tracing the star with her other hand. "No one's ever really been able to understand why before."

"And you do now?" he ventured after a moment.

She nodded slowly. "I think so. Vengi and I have always been different from the others. There are ten Star Rangers; we should have found our Soul Bonded among them. But while the others have all paired up, he and I have never had any romantic interest in each other - it'd be like kissing my brother. Then we felt the call, that we were needed..."

There was another long moment of silence. At last she shrugged, banishing her morpher with another flick of her wrist. "Obviously, we figured out it was because our Soul Bonded were from other teams. But there's more than that for me now. Ven doesn't have the same problem; I've tried to ask him, but he doesn't understand."

"Understand what?"

She looked up. "You're hurting because while she's beside you, you still can't help her." She nodded to the sleeping Aisha. "But you can still be by her side. That helps with the pain, right?"

He watched her warily. "Litania?"

She stared off into the distance, seeming to search for something that wasn't there. "I'm broken," she said suddenly, her voice surprisingly soft. "It feels ... wrong. I'm not alone ... Yasta and Phantom are here. That helps. But the rest are missing. They're not beside me, and it ***hurts***."

He stood, moving to touch her arm worriedly. "I don't understand. What - "

She looked back at him at last. "I'm Team Bonded," she told him simply. "To the Astro Rangers."

He stared.

"Not the Gold Star Rangers. Not the Silver Star. I don't even have this feeling for Ven. I thought it was just being separated from T.J., but it isn't. Somehow I know that Andros is hurting. That something made Zhane really happy. That Ashley and Cassie are worried about the rest of us, and Cassie's in pain. That Carlos feels helpless, like he didn't do enough." She shrugged slightly. "There's someone else too, but I can't find her." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "She's happy, but she's scared too. And something isn't right when I try to reach for her. It feels ... dirty, almost."

"I didn't know you were psychic," he managed.

Her eyes met his. "I'm not."


	42. Spoils of the Victor

Chapter 42:Spoils of the Victor

"Rito ... ***what*** are you doing?"

He glanced up. "Isn't it obvious? Playin' chess," he informed his sister cheerfully. Okay, so his opponent was a Quantron, but hey, you gotta work with what you got.

Besides, he was winning.

"Why would an idiot like you want to do that?"

"Hey ... I know how to play chess," he protested.

Rita snorted. "Yeah. And Zedd's favorite hobby is collecting kittens."

"Really? When did he start doin' that? You shoulda told me; I woulda - "

"I was being sarcastic, you moron!" she snapped. "You really ***are*** as stupid as you look, aren't you?" She walked off without waiting for his response, rolling her eyes.

"I'm ***not*** stupid," he muttered to himself. He paused, studying the chess board. After a moment, he made his move. Then he paused. "Wait a minute ... did I just win?"

The Quantron didn't have eyes, but the way it moved suggested it would have rolled them if it did.

* * *

Demoness studied the runes that had been painted on her stomach, carefully committing the design to memory. She would have to practice to be sure she could recreate it. But if it truly did what Zeus had claimed it would, it would be worth it.

Ordinarily she had little faith in such mystical approaches as runes, but she was running out of options. No charm, no spell, no training had been able to fix her problem. She'd checked every vague, poorly-researched solution that had ever been recorded, attempted, or whispered about.

They all failed.

Reduced to exile, she had been forced to live as a fugitive merely for the fact that she was unable to exist in normal society. She had done nothing wrong. Nothing except to be born with a curse she couldn't control.

And if she was forced to kill in order to lift that curse, she would do so in an instant.

* * *

Astronema frowned as she stared out the window. Her chest ached, and for the first time in her life she felt tired after a battle. If this was what being a Power Ranger was supposed to be like, they could have the stupid morpher.

But there was something else.

She rubbed her chest uncertainly, closing her eyes with a frown. She cleared her thoughts, soothing her magic and trying to balance out the strange sensations in her body. It was something she'd been doing since she was a child, and practically second nature now.

An image of Zeus came to mind.

She found herself heading for the door in an instant. She didn't understand how she knew or why. She didn't care.

Zeus needed her. That was all that mattered.

* * *

She stared at the ceiling, shuddering as she tried to shake off the remains of the nightmare. She was trapped, tangled in the darkness and pain. The sensation of cold seeping through her, destroying everything. The feeling of something shattering inside.

"Spectra." After a pause, she called again. "Spectra!"

But no one came. No one was coming for her.

:: _Help me!_ :: she screamed mentally.

Hours seemed to pass before arms were around her, and words of reassurance were being whispered in her ear. The hand that stroked her hair lovingly brought her back to herself, and the warmth of another body chased away the icy darkness. Her vision cleared at last, banishing the images she could never forget.

She sat up at last, turning to look at her beloved doll. She slapped her without warning, glaring furiously. "How dare you leave me alone?" she snarled. "Never leave me like that again!"

Spectra looked up at her as something seemed to flicker in her eyes for a moment. At last she simply nodded. "Yes, Mistress," she said softly, bowing her head again.

Taking several deep breaths to calm herself, she smiled at last and reached to lift her servant's chin. She stroked her red cheek gently, giving her a light kiss. "My beautiful doll ... You'll never leave me, will you?"

Her response was a flat stare that seemed to last forever, her eyes as flat and expressionless as always.

She frowned. "Spectra ... ?" she asked tentatively.

At last lips pressed against hers, and Spectra leaned forward to rest her head against her shoulder with a quiet sigh. "No. I could never leave you."

A soft, contented smile lit Tearrah's face. "Good."

After several minutes she giggled softly, nuzzling the other girl's cheek. Burying her face in the red curls, she inhaled deeply, smiling at the her scent. "Mmm ... love you," she sighed.

Spectra's arms came around her, squeezing tightly. Tears glimmered in her eyes.

"I love you too, Torrin."

* * *

The kata was as familiar as her own armor, something she'd known and practiced for centuries. It kept her sane when Rita was screeching, Squatt and Baboo bickering while Goldar tried to pick a fight with anyone who so much as blinked at him and Finster cowered in a corner. She didn't know what had happened to those other thee idiots since she'd left Zedd's services, but she prayed every day that someone had finally put them all out of her misery.

The dreams were coming more frequently now, but she still couldn't seem to hold on to them when she woke. She suspected it had something to do with her Ranger Powers, but there was no one she trusted to investigate the problem. She'd sooner cut off her own head than ask one of the other Dark Rangers for help; it would be a quicker death.

The odd thing was the lack of feeling she'd been noticing in herself. She'd expected to be thrilled at fighting Earth Rangers again - other planets weren't nearly such fun. But even with the obvious victory, she found she didn't really care one way or the other. It was simply business.

And for someone who's spent the last 16,680 years as a mercenary for hire, losing interest in the job was not a good sign.

She wasn't sure just what might spark her attention again. She was tempted to randomly attack Ranger-protected planets the way Zedd was doing, but that didn't seem to hold much appeal, either. For one thing, there was something about the tenacity of Earthians that made them different. They just wouldn't give up, no matter how many times they were defeated.

Waiting around for Zeus to decide to attack them again wasn't all that appealing. She appreciated the time and effort dedicating herself to her training took, but that didn't mean it was all she wanted to do. Even she had her limits as to how long she could run through the same sword routine.

She frowned suddenly. She hadn't summoned her weapon while she was morphed yet, and she was hoping to put that off for as long as possible. She wasn't sure how the Dark Power she was using had affected it, and she had a feeling she didn't want to know.

Sighing, Scorpina finished her routine and bowed to the empty room. She would bide her time. Opportunities for destruction always came to those who wait.

* * *

He muttered to himself as he carefully polished his chrome. That was the one problem with his appearance; it was a royal pain to clean. Inspired fear and disgust to be sure, but at the end of the day, maintenance made him seriously re-think his image choice. And as menacing as bloodstains made him look, he hated when his chrome was dirty.

But he had other problems to think about now.

Something was wrong with his wife. He wasn't sure what it was exactly, but she was even more irritable than usual, and actually ***less*** screechy. Not that he minded her shutting up more often, but snapping at him at a drop of a hat was starting to grate on his last nerve. It she kept this up, he'd seal her back in that blasted dumpster and make sure she was ***never*** able to escape.

Goldar had been in hiding ever since the brat had introduced the Turbo Zords, and only came out when summoned. The only person who ever seemed able to find him was Rito, and there was no way he'd ask that blubbering idiot to tell him where his own servant was. He didn't know what the stupid monkey was up to, which made him even more suspicious. The only clue he had was Rito whistling as he carried along tubes of paint, claiming they were 'for Goldie's special project.'

Scorpina seemed to be showing her true colors; she only answered to Zeus now, no matter how long she'd served Rita, or the fact that he had a higher position in the UAE than the stupid brat ever would. She was irritatingly loyal too, which meant she was probably getting money from someone. Most likely Zeus' whore.

More importantly than any of that useless information, he had sensed ***him*** again. Apparently the damn persistent bastard was waking up at last. He'd been close at one point, but for some reason had grown distant. He would have considered that to be a good thing if he didn't know better; no news about the White Turbine Ranger was ***not*** good news.

Then of course, there was the ever-persistent issue of the brat and his whore. He would have just hired Scorpina to kill them, but she seemed to actually ***like*** the idiots for some reason. Probably thought she owed them for the stupid Morpher they gave her. He snorted; as if stealing Power from a Light Ranger was ***that*** difficult - he'd done it himself, after all. Would have succeeded if that blasted Katherine hadn't defected and taken the Coin with her.

He studied his reflection in the mirror, checking meticulously for any hints of dirt or blood left. He needed a distraction. Something to remind everyone just who was the Lord of Evil here.

He chuckled, reaching for his Z Staff. Time to go practice what the Dark Red Ranger was all about: cruelty.

* * *

Divatox paced her room restlessly.

"I just annihilated the Power Rangers of Earth for the ***second*** time." She frowned. "But I don't feel happy about this. Why am I not happy? I should be happy, damn it!"

She turned on her heel, stalking back toward the door. "Is it because I wasn't the only one who did it? But minions never mattered to me before; why should these nimrods? Is it because I didn't have the Red Ranger's car?" Her scowl darkened further. "No, that's just stupid." She paused in mid-step, cocking her head. "Is it because of the Power? Mine wasn't like the others ... Did that make a difference? Because it took two different Rangers to make it? And two of the most goody-two shoes to boot," she added in aside.

She huffed angrily. "Why is this all so complicated? Destruction and mayhem isn't a complicated business!"

She stopped again, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe ... Maybe the other Dark Rangers are out to sabotage my chance at killing off those blasted Rangers." She rolled her eyes. "Wouldn't put it past the incompetent fools. Not that they've ever had a working plan between them."

After a moment, she hmmed thoughtfully. "But one should never go into a mutiny unprepared ... "

* * *

A hand reached up, slowly running along the side of her cheek though sleek, shining green hair. It drifted back up to touch alongside the bright emerald eyes, then down again to the triangle tattooed on her chest. Her fingers traced its shape gently, almost lovingly.

"I hate you," she murmured. "I don't need your reminders or your Power. I don't need anything you have to offer me."

The outline of the tattoo glowed softly.

"I do not! I have everything I've ever wanted now! Power, respect ... What more could I possibly ask for?"

The triangle shone again.

"Love? What good is 'love'? Love doesn't keep you alive! Love makes you ***weak***."

Another green glimmer.

"I believed that once because I was a fool. Because I was naive enough to believe that I could change the world." Her eyes narrowed. "And now I ***have***. Without ***you***."

A flicker of response.

She looked at the mirror again, her hand clenching into a fist over the tattoo. "I hate you," she hissed again.

Her eyes closed suddenly, and she fought back a sob as a deep ache filled her chest. "I hate you for what you're doing to me."

* * *

There weren't as many repairs to make as he'd expected. Either because they'd actually taken his warning seriously, or Scorpina was just a better pilot than Tommy or T.J. had ever been. He was leaning toward the latter.

The battle had been ridiculously successful. Minimal damage to the Turbo Megazord and Serpentera. Emerald Zord had taken a serious beating however, and the MegaWinger looked like it was imploding. Cobra Zord was in perfect shape except for the apparent need to brush its teeth; bits of twisted pink metal had wrapped themselves around the Zord's fangs. The fighter squadrons had been pretty much eliminated, but that was to be expected. Demoness had not only returned with a nifty new giant laser for him to play with, but reported that the Yellow Ninja Ranger had gone down in the battle. All in all, a pretty good result.

Which was why he couldn't understand why his vision kept blurring.

"Zeus?"

He scrubbed at his eyes again with his fists, looking up at Astronema as she knelt beside him. "They won't stop," he mumbled, tears streaming down his cheeks as his shoulders hitched. "I don't know why ... but they won't stop."

Slowly, Astronema reached out to touch his cheek. She wiped away his tears with a thumb, displaying a gentleness he'd rarely seen in her. Without a word, she pulled him into her arms.

He buried his face against her shoulder and sobbed.

* * *

He sat in the ruins of what had once been one of Rita's appointed work rooms, staring at his hands. They were shaking, covered in dust and debris. Around him tables had been overturned, chairs smashed to pieces, paint splattered, and clay destroyed.

In front of him was a delicate figurine of a woman dressed in a purple tunic and black riding pants. No detail had been spared; one hand settled on her hip clutching a riding crop, the other raised near her face, gesturing outward. Her hair had been tossed back in thick chestnut waves, settling at her shoulder blades as she laughed with bright, warm blue eyes that seemed to sparkle.

Goldar reached trembling hands out as if to touch her, then jerked them away to cover his face. Shoulders shaking, he sobbed brokenly.

* * *

"***Blood of my fathers***!"

He swept his arm across the console, sending everything nearby flying. Fuming, he glared at the security cameras. Apparently his hold was not as firm as he'd thought. While Zeus ***had*** responded to his mental command to attack, the reactions he'd seen after the battle were not supposed to happen. The Power was corrupting his puppets, giving them thoughts and memories they weren't supposed to have. They were supposed to remain under his control!

He swore softly as he noticed the blood on his arm. An injury wouldn't do; there was too much to be done. He could not afford something as minor as a bleeding arm to halt his plans for even a moment.

His brow furrowed as he carefully disinfected and bandaged the wound. The game was not over yet. And none of them were a lost cause; Red and Purple were perfectly under his influence, and the rest could still be salvaged. He would have to be careful with Green, Black, and most of all Blue. But they would not escape him.

No one would.


	43. Stranded

**Author's Notes/:** The Dramatic Duo returns! (Many thanks to Hagar for the nickname. -Winks-)

I'm too much of a Tommy/Kimberly fan. Every time I try to write a conversation scene between just the two of them, it ends up totally different than I expected and takes up an entire chapter all on its own. Is this some sort of sign?

Kimberly is singing _The Dream is Still Alive_ by Wilson Phillips. (A band from the '80's that my sister got me hooked on as a kid. -Pauses- Lord, I feel old. -_-;;)

Chapter 43:Stranded

He could just barely hear it. It wasn't close by, and he had to strain a little, but it was there. Someone was singing.

"_The dream is still alive ... Look ... here in my eyes ... Can't you see ... what I'm feelin' ... ?_"

His head came up; he'd know that voice anywhere. "Kimberly ... " he breathed. Within moments, he was running.

"_The dream is still alive ... the one of you and I ... And my heart-ache is healin' ... _"

He stumbled into a clearing that was ***not*** naturally made, nearly tripping over a log in his haste. The Pterodactyl DinoZord lay in the dirt, its left wing angled higher into the air than the right. The claws had managed to get underneath it before it crashed, but one of them didn't look like it could make another landing. The right wing was half buried in fallen trees and blackened, and two large holes had been torn through the side of the neck. The cockpit however, was in one piece. And the singing was coming from an open hatch in the stomach.

"_I ... couldn't let it die ... For all the times we tried .. the dream is still alive ..._"

"Kimberly!" he called, hurrying toward her.

There was a loud thump. "Ow!"

Kimberly emerged, holding her head and scowling. "What in the world - " She froze as she caught sight of him. "Tommy?"

It didn't matter than she didn't want him anymore. It didn't matter that he still loved her than nearly anything else in the world, and it physically hurt not to be with her. All he cared about was that she was safe, whole, and unbroken in front of him.

He'd never moved to her side so quickly, pulling her into his arms and squeezing as if he'd never let go. "Kimberly ... " he breathed. Relief flooded through him, and he found himself burying his face in her hair, breathing in the smell of sweat, machinery, and ***Kimberly***.

Kimberly hesitated, not quite sure what she should do. After a moment, she wrapped her arms around him in return, leaning against him. "Tommy," she whispered, her heart aching. It had been so long since he'd last held her this way ...

And for several minutes, they both forgot what they'd become. They stopped hiding from one another and just relished on the feeling of each other's arms. There were no words; nothing but arms wrapped tightly, desperately holding on as they forgot the rest of the world.

Which is why once they each remembered exactly what was going on and who they were with, there was a long, awkward pause as they continued to hold each other.

It was Tommy who finally managed to pull away, forcing himself to look at the PterodactylZord as if it had the answer to all his problems. "I'm glad you're all right," he said at last, wincing at the stiffness in his voice.

Kimberly took a slow breath, trying to calm herself down. "I've been flying since I was fourteen," she reminded him. "It wasn't easy, but I managed to land." She scowled abruptly at her Zord. "Getting back ***up*** is the issue." She glanced at him, brightening. "But Billy will take care of it, right?"

He paused as everything from the battle came rushing back to him. He fidgeted, suddenly looking guilty. "I, uh ... I didn't ... bring anyone else," he mumbled.

She stared at him. "But you can contact them." Her eyes narrowed. "Right?"

He fidgeted. "I haven't exactly tried." Catching sight of her incredulous stare, he hurried to defend himself. "I was worried - " He cut off abruptly, looking embarrassed. "I was ... concerned. About you." He cleared his throat before she could answer, hurriedly lifting his communicator.

"It won't work," she informed him before he could try. She looked somewhat amused. "I've been trying since I landed, but I can't seem to get a signal. If you didn't bring anyone with you, it's just us out here." She swung her arm wide to indicate the forest around them.

He stared back at her, trying to hide the growing horror he felt. What had he been ***thinking***? He didn't bring anyone else, didn't bring supplies, just took off after a ***feeling*** that Kimberly needed him. How stupid could he be?

And now he had stranded himself in the middle of nowhere, on an unknown planet, with his ex-girlfriend.

-( _Take me now_, )- he groaned mentally.

Searching desperately for some sort of distraction, he cleared his throat and focused on the Pterodactyl again. "So, what's wrong with it?"

She sighed. "There's no electricity, or whatever she uses. She doesn't ... turn on." She gestured to it. "I've been trying to figure out where the problem is, and I think I managed to repair some of the damage to the wing, but I can't even get the cockpit lights on."

She looked so adorably annoyed Tommy couldn't help but smile. "Billy will be proud of you."

She blinked up at him. "Hmm?"

The smile turned to a grin. "You actually ***were*** paying attention to him when everyone thought you were zoning out."

She swatted him with a scowl. "For your information I've been taking care of my own car for three years. I don't take it in every time a light starts blinking. I'm not a mechanic, but I can take care of basic things." She frowned again. "Zords are just more complicated than a Toyota."

"You really can take care of yourself now, can't you?"

They both froze.

He hadn't meant to say it; it just slipped out. He kept his gaze on the Pterodactyl, refusing to look anywhere in her direction. It was more incriminating than if he'd just met her eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Whether or not he wanted it said it was true, and he couldn't take it back.

He started when a hand carefully reached out to take his.

"Do you know what the first thing I thought when I landed was?" she asked softly. "'Tommy'."

He closed his eyes.

"The first thing I wanted was you. It's always been you." She took a deep, shaky breath. "I ... I'm not good at explaining myself when it comes to this," she admitted. "Before ... " She winced. "I'm sorry. It came out all wrong, and ... I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't mean ... " She sighed, leaning her head on his shoulder so he wouldn't see the tears in her eyes. "I love you, Tommy. I love you so much. I always have, and I know I always will."

She hesitated for a moment, forcing herself to continue. "We're different people than we were then. We've both grown and changed without each other." She chuckled softly, and she knew he could hear the tears in it now. "I've had to learn to stand on my own. It's my own fault; I'm the one who did this." She swallowed. "I'm the one who did this to us. I wish ... Sometimes I wish I'd never left, that we'd never been apart. But I don't know who I'd be now if I hadn't. And as much as I miss being with you, I'm proud of being able to protect myself. I don't want to lose that." She let out another shaky sigh. "But I don't want to lose you again, either. What I'm asking is ... " She paused, reaching up to hug his shoulder as she nuzzled slightly against his back. "We're not the same people," she repeated. "Our relationship can't just start from where left off. We need to get to know each other again. Not start over exactly, but ... "

She took another breath. "I meant what I said about being without you. It ***hurts*** to be apart. I want us to be together, but I want to understand each other first. I don't want to just jump into this like nothing ever happened, because it did, and things are different now." She closed her eyes at his silence, feeling stupid for making such a speech. "I ... I love you, and I miss you," she murmured at last. "I guess, more than anything ... I'll wait for whatever you want to decide."

She pulled away from him abruptly, heading for the Pterodactyl as tears slipped down her cheeks and her heart throbbed painfully. "I'll, um ... I'm going to ... keep working."

Tommy didn't follow.

* * *

Kimberly quietly cried herself out, remaining hidden in the Pterodactyl as she tried to find things to repair without fear of breaking the Zord further. She worked slowly, her vision blurred, occasionally reaching up to wipe her cheeks when there were too many tears to see. The pain in her chest had returned with a vengeance and her knee was beginning to ache from the limited amount of space, but she didn't dare come out until she was calm again.

-( _He didn't say no_, )- she reminded herself for the umpteenth time. -( _He never refused_. )- Her eyes burned as she was finally starting to run out of tears. -( _He just didn't say __***anything***_. )-

She choked back another sob, stopping to rub furiously at her cheeks for a moment. "I must look awful," she muttered, sighing.

"You never look awful."

She jumped so badly she nearly hit her head again, spinning around to stare at Tommy as he peered up through the hatch she'd folded herself into. "Don't ***do*** that!" she snapped, only to curse herself moments later for being so harsh.

He looked at her for a long moment before at last reaching out to gently wipe her cheek. "You never look awful," he repeated softly. "You're always beautiful."

She bit her lip as her eyes filled again. "That's selective judgment," she sniffled.

"It's my selective judgment," he corrected. He paused, cupping her cheek. He started to say something, then stopped, frowning. "Would you come outside? It's ... kinda cramped in here."

She nodded reluctantly as her heart panged from fear and nerves. "Sure."

He moved out of the way, reaching up to give her a hand as she followed. He froze when she shot him an amused glance, and looked sheepish. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Habit, I guess."

Smiling tentatively, she took his hand anyway.

She stretched when he let go, looking around herself in surprise. "It's getting dark," she commented, frowning. She glanced at him. "No luck contacting anyone?"

He shook his head, still watching her. "Looks like we're spending the night here."

"Joy," she grumbled.

She paused as he reached out, catching her hand.

"Kim ... Look at me," he said softly.

Swallowing hard, she turned, forcing herself to meet his eyes. They were hesitant and afraid, but they stared back at her unflinchingly. There wasn't hate there. Love, maybe. She was afraid to try to read anything more.

He took a deep breath. "You said ... well, you and Pahla said ... that you're an empath, right?"

She nodded.

"You said you use shields for your heart?"

Once again she nodded, wondering what he was getting at.

His eyes continued to bore into her. "Let them down? For me?" he requested.

She hesitated. She knew her 'shields' weren't really shields, just a way of closing herself off from everyone. She also knew that it was hard to block once she'd let them go; if she released them now, she would have to fight to put them back.

But more than anything, she trusted Tommy. And she could never refuse him. She continued to hold his gaze as slowly, carefully, she let go of the emotional wall and allowed herself to absorb all the emotions around her.

The sudden flow of _Love _was so overpowering she stumbled, clutching at her chest. She gasped, struggling to regain control, to remember what was her and what was him. What was ... was ...

She froze.

"Tommy?" Her voice was barely a whisper. She was shaking, so afraid that she was wrong, that it wasn't what she prayed it meant. That the overpowering feeling of love wasn't just her imagination.

It wasn't the only thing she'd felt. There was hurt, too. And longing. Nervousness and fear. Uncertainty. Doubt. But all of those had been faint, barely there, in comparison to the amount of love she sensed from him.

He responded by pulling her against him, holding tight and kissing her hair. "I meant what I said, too. I love you, Kimberly. More than anyone, even our friends, have ever believed. I've never stopped, and I never could. Even if you didn't want me, that wouldn't change anything. I just ***love*** you."

She pulled away slightly, looking up at him with shining eyes, red from crying. Her face was tear-streaked and splotchy, her hair tangled messily. A dark smear marred one cheek.

She was beautiful.

"Even after everything?" she whispered. The tone of her voice broke his heart. "Even after I hurt you?"

"Even after that." It was a struggle to stop himself from kissing her, but he had to finish this first. "Kim, you're ***everything***. I know we're not the same as we were then. But I ***don't care***. I love you. I don't love you because you wear the cutest clothes, or because you're the most popular girl in school, or have the best catch phrases, or look hot in uniform."

She made a face but continued to watch as he spoke, her eyes shining with hope.

"I love you because you're the sweetest, most loving person I've ever met. You care for people you have no obligation to, but you still give them a smile and make them feel special. You ... " He turned slightly red. "Trini told me once that it's because you shine. And she's right; you do. You shine brighter than anyone I've ever known. And even though we haven't seen each other in a year, and haven't dated for two, you're still shining. No matter who you've grown into, I know that I'll still love you. Because you're you."

She was crying again. "Tommy - " she choked out. Unable to find words, she flung herself into his arms, clinging for all she was worth. Her empathy spilled over, flooding them both with _Love_ and _Joy_. "I love you," she gasped, sobbing. "I love you so much!"

He smiled, holding her close and breathing in the smell of her hair. "I love you too," he murmured, his own eyes suspiciously shiny. "I'll never let you go again."

"Never," she whispered fiercely.

Their eyes would never see it, but the brilliant sparkles of green, white, red, and pink lights around them shone brighter than the setting sun.

* * *

"Kim."

She murmured sleepily, burying her face back into the warmth in front of her. She'd had the most wonderful dream; she wasn't getting up until someone ***dragged*** her out of bed. Coach and his stupid 5:00am training could kiss her -

"Kimberly ... "

She snuggled, sighing happily.

There was a soft chuckle above her. "Come on, Beautiful. Time to get up."

Her eyes snapped open.

She shot up so fast she nearly smacked Tommy in the chin. Staring at him for several minutes, she looked around wildly to make sure she was still where she last remembered being. The forest was still there, the PterodactylZord still lay silent, and Tommy was still beside her, rubbing his jaw with an amused look on his face.

"Sleep well?" he asked wryly.

She blinked, looking down. They were still wrapped up together in the pink blankets they'd found stowed in a compartment in Pterodactyl's cockpit. The wrappers of whatever strange rations had been in with the first aid kit remained beside them, along with the medical supplies they'd used for her injuries. It wasn't a dream.

Slowly, she began to smile.

Taking a deep breath and stretching, she turned with a warm smile to kiss Tommy tenderly. "Good morning," she murmured as they finally separated several minutes later.

"It is now," he agreed with a rueful grin, making her giggle.

They agreed to 'save' the rations for later rather than having breakfast, and quickly packed up their supplies. Tommy fussed over her rapidly appearing bruises, checked her ribs and knee, and rewrapped her thumb. She laughingly submitted to his ministrations and teasingly accused him of being a worrywart, which inevitably lead into an impromptu tickle fight. The atmosphere between them remained light, and both were relieved to realize that neither one regretted what had happened yesterday.

"This could almost be like a honeymoon," she murmured, leaning on him as they finally quieted.

He looked down at her with a smirk, raising an eyebrow. "Why Kim, I never knew you were a voyeur."

She laughed and elbowed him. "Pervert! That wasn't what I meant! I was talking about the two of us spending time together, just us. It's nice. Peaceful."

"Sure ... "

"Quit it, you!" she mock-growled. "Not until we're married!"

"Okay. So let's get married then. "

She blinked, looking up at him. "What?"

"So let's get married," he repeated. His tone was light, but his eyes were completely serious.

She stared at him for a several minutes. "That was the worst proposal I've ever heard," she said quietly.

He didn't look away. "So?"

Slowly, she smiled. "Yes," she breathed, leaning up to kiss him. She seized either side of his face, kissing him again and again. "Yes, yes, yes!"

"So is that a yes?" he gasped between kisses, grinning.

"Yes!" she shouted, knocking him flat on his back as she kissed him passionately.

A great deal of time had passed before they finally separated, sitting up to stare at each other. "This is stupid," she giggled suddenly, her eyes shining with happiness. "We haven't even been back together for a whole day and we're already engaged! What happened to getting to know each other again?"

He kissed her lightly. He couldn't stop grinning. "All right. What's your favorite color?"

"Purple," she returned promptly. She laughed at the startled look on his face. "After I moved to Florida, wearing pink made me homesick, so I started wearing more purple - close, but not quite the same. I was trying to get some color into my wardrobe. Which was obviously such a great idea," she added wryly, gesturing the pink turtleneck of her Megaship uniform.

He laughed. "I'm pretty unimaginative, then. Still Green, White, and Red."

She studied him for a moment, running a hand up his arm. "It's still so weird to think of you in Red. It just doesn't feel right to me."

"Neither does you in Purple."

She made a face at him. "We ***should*** get started on Pterodactyl ... " she admitted reluctantly after a moment.

"Don't want to," he retorted, pulling her back against him. "Fixing Pterodactyl means getting out of here, which means not having you all to myself anymore. And I don't want to."

"You're so spoiled!" she teased, even as she beamed in response. "I'm not going to - " She froze in mid-sentence, eyes widening in horror.

He leaned towards her, resting their foreheads together. "No. You're not going to leave me again," he said firmly. "Because I won't let you."

"Let me?" she returned, somewhat breathless at their closeness. She forced a smirk even as the fluttery feeling in her stomach grew.

"Nope," he agreed. "I'm never giving you up again, not even if you want me to."

"Good," she whispered, her smile widening as they kissed once again.

Once again, it was several minutes before they separated. "I'm getting up now," she declared quietly. "Before you make me forget about everything but you again."

"I can live with that," he answered easily, stretching.

She made it to her feet, turning to watch him. "What's with you?" she asked, her tone genuinely curious. "You're so much more relaxed. Touchy-feely even. Is it normal for you now, or just because we're back together?"

"Both," he admitted honestly, a warm feeling sweeping through him at the words 'back together'. "I'm just ... " He shrugged, offering her a rueful smile. "I'm just so happy to have you back. I guess I'm making up for lost time."

She leaned over to kiss his nose. "Just don't run out of 'making up'," she admonished.

"Or out," he quipped, grinning as she scowled at him. "Never," he agreed quickly, catching her hand before she could move away from him again and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Love you."

"Love you, too," she returned warmly, pulling away slowly as she walked backwards to the Pterodactyl.

* * *

"Any luck on your end?" Tommy asked, peering into the cockpit several hours later.

His response was a string of not-quite swear words.

"I'll take that as a no, then," he commented, amused.

Kimberly's head emerged at last, scowling furiously. "I just don't ***get it***!" she ranted. "I've reconnected everything that looks remotely disconnected, cleaned up anything that looked damaged ... What am I missing?"

He frowned. "If it's not mechanical, maybe it's something else."

"Like what?" she demanded. "What else could ***possibly*** be the problem?"

"Try morphing," he suggested carefully. Kimberly could be scary when she was frustrated. "Maybe the Power will point out something you wouldn't notice otherwise."

She sighed irritably. "Might as well, since nothing ***else*** has worked," she grumbled, falling into her stance. "It's Morphin' Time! Pterodactyl!"

"Anything?" he asked after a minutes of watching the Pink Dino Ranger stare at her Zord with her hands on her hips.

A moment later, she did one of the last things he expected.

"I need DinoZord Power, now!" she shouted, punching her right hand into the sky.

And amazingly, the Zord responded. Its head lifted, the eyes lighting up. After a moment it managed to get its legs underneath it, standing somewhat awkwardly as it tried to remove its wing from the pile of fallen trees. Its screeching call wasn't quite as triumphant as it usually would have been, but none the less proud.

They stared at it in disbelief.

"That's it?" Pink Dino asked in a dangerously soft tone. "All that time going over every inch of circuitry, repairing and searching, cleaning ***every* *single*** little wire, and ***all I had to do was friggin' summon her***?"

Tommy stared at her, slowly inching away. "Well ... at least we can get out of here now," he offered uncertainly. "Once we get back to Eltar we can have both of you checked out."

She remained still for a moment, fuming. "You should morph," she said finally. She considered him for a moment. "This should be interesting; I've never tried to fit anyone else in the cockpit with me before."

"Thank goodness it's bigger than the original," he muttered feverently, reaching behind him. "It's Morphin' Time! Dragonzord!"


	44. Deliberations with the Bavari

**Author's Notes/:** I've had such a blast with this chapter! I think it's the first time I've ever been comfortable writing Billy. But it's so much fun to imagine him getting all excited and technobabbling until no one but Trini can understand him!

I have no idea why the Bavari Rangers use such flowery speech. It just sort of appeared in my head that way as I typed. As far as ***I*** know I wasn't on anything at the time I started writing them, but that really doesn't mean much ...

Also, there is mentions of a relationship in this chapter that may squik some people. -Mock gasp- Yes, I may have actually created a pairing that some people won't like. But it made so much sense and it just wouldn't leave me alone...

If you object to relationships involving (severe) age difference, you are now forewarned. And if it truly bothers you, I promise it won't be mentioned much after this.

Chapter 44:Deliberations with the Bavari

The moment the hanger door opened, Zhane found himself bowled over. He laughed, squeezing tightly as tears gleamed in his eyes. Burying his face in her shoulder, he held on for a few minutes to get control of himself. Eventually he pulled away to study his attacker.

She was beautiful, just like their mother. Her hair gleamed sunshine blond with streaks of dark brown hidden underneath, continuing down below her shoulders. Gleaming purple beads had been wound through the hair around the top of her head. Her eyes, once the same brown his own, now glowed bright purple; the sign of a true Bavari Ranger. She even wore the traditional purple and gold-trimmed robes. At twelve years old, she was older and so much taller now - she'd been only eight when he saw her last.

"A Bavari, huh?" he murmured, eyes shining with happiness as he reached out to tug a strand of her hair. "Imagine ... my little Sprite, a Bavari Ranger. So who did you bribe?"

She swung at him, glaring even as her own eyes laughed. "As if you're one to talk! You cause more trouble than I do!"

His hand dropped to gently touch one of her long earrings. Wearing them in another Color meant something special to the Bavari. "White?" he asked softly.

Her expression seemed to melt. "Yes. Crystal."

He couldn't help but hug her again. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," she murmured.

He pulled away after another moment, offering her a hand as they both stood. Turning to his friends, he grinned. "This is Cayden, my sister," he explained.

"It's Lavender now," she corrected.

He glanced at her, pride flooding through him. "Lavender," he agreed. "This is my team, and our friends."

She smiled back. "Introductions will have to wait. You said you had injured?"

He nodded. "Three."

She cocked her head, a dreamy expression coming to her face as her eyes seemed glaze over. After a moment she blinked, looking up. "Lemon and Fuchsia are on their way. Aqua and Apple will come for G.I.R.A.."

He gave her a grateful look. "We owe you."

She shook her head immediately. "Rangers never owe one another. Especially not family," she insisted.

He squeezed her with another smile.

The other Bavari arrived with soft glowing lights. All seven of them were various shades of brunette with lightly tanned skin. The main differences between them was the coloring of their clothes and the Colored glow of their eyes. Zhane was amused to note that none of them wore earrings in their own Color.

A broad-shouldered boy with shoulder-length dark waves and bright pink eyes hurried to Zack, while the curvy girl in yellow with curls falling down her back rushed to Jason and Pahla. Within moments they had gathered them together and vanished with more glowing lights.

The remaining five regarded them all curiously.

"You're breaking the rules, Lavender," the green-eyed boy with features similar to the boy in pink commented. "Outsiders aren't allowed in Sanctuary."

"Since when do you care about rules, Apple?" his sister returned, tossing her hair back. "You make it sound this is news."

Apple laughed, eyes sparkling merrily. "True! You and I have always shared that philosophy."

"It's not a philosophy; it's a rebellion," retorted the boy beside him, making the red-eyed girl giggle. His eyes glimmered pure black.

"You're being rude to our guests," the girl in white told them all, her tone gently scolding. She turned with a slight bow, though her white eyes seemed to watch Zhane more than anyone. "Greetings. I am Crystal, Leader of the Bavari Rangers."

"I am Crimson, Second of the Bavari," put in the girl with red eyes that seemed to smile.

Apple smirked at them all. "I am Apple, Resident Trouble-Maker."

The dark-eyed boy elbowed him sharply. "I am Onyx." He hesitated, then jerked his head at Apple. "You may think of me as his caretaker."

The last boy blinked at them as Crimson giggled again. His blue eyes had a bit too much green in them to be natural. "I am Aqua." He paused, seeming to search for something to say, then gave up. "May I help your ship?" he offered instead.

Diplomacy seemed to have at last shaken Andros out of his blank staring into space. "I am Andros of KO-35, Red Astro Ranger," he told them solemnly.

His team immediately chimed in after him. "Carlos Vallerte of Earth, Black Astro Ranger."

"T.J. Johnson of Earth, Blue Astro."

Ashley's smile was tired even as it was warm. "Ashley Hammond of Earth, Yellow Astro."

"Cassie Chan of Earth, Pink Astro."

He smirked, feeling Andros glare at his back. "I'm Silver. Call me Zhane."

"Trini Kwan of Earth, Yellow Dino Ranger," she put in smoothly.

Billy seemed to hesitate for some reason. "Billy Cranston of Earth ... and Aquitar. Blue Dino Ranger."

Crimson and Apple looked at him with interest. "Two planets of origin?" Crimson asked curiously.

He nodded, meeting her gaze directly. "Yes. I have had the honor of being granted that title by Delphine, White Ranger of Aquitar."

"I believe we should allow our guests a place to rest," Crystal interrupted before they could say anything more. She ignored their disappointed looks, focusing her gaze on Andros. "We would be glad to give you food and shelter." She gestured to her Blue Ranger. "Aqua would be most delighted to repair your ship as well, if you would so allow."

Andros bowed slightly. "We're grateful for your offers, and happily accept both."

Aqua blinked, then smiled, seeming to brighten. "I shall hurry to her aid, then," he announced quietly, heading into the Delta Megaship before anyone could blink. Apple shook his head with a sigh and went after him.

"I will show you to a sleeping place," Crimson offered. "Please follow me."

Zhane waited as everyone else began to follow after her, keeping his gaze on Crystal as Lavender remained beside him. When the three of them were finally alone, he bowed to the White Bavari. "I'm glad to meet my sister's Soul Bonded," he told her sincerely.

The young girl's calm, cold eyes seemed to warm. "And I am honored to meet the brother my Lavender speaks so fondly of at last."

She reached out with both hands, which he took in his own. They smiled at one another, squeezing gently as Lavender beamed beside them. After a moment, he bent down to kiss the back of each hand.

He hesitated, but the thought hadn't stopped bothering him ever since they'd landed. "Are you sure about this? Allowing outsiders into Sanctuary? We're grateful, but we don't want to bring you trouble."

Crystal withdrew, looking mildly amused. "The Bavari Rangers serve the R'ga System Alliance, but we are bound to honor first. The Kerova Rangers are our friends and allies, no matter the title they may now serve under." Her amused look grew into a faint smile. "And my Lavender would never forgive me if we did not come to her brother's aid."

"Never," Lavender agreed firmly.

"Thank you," he told them both.

Lavender seemed about to say something, but Crystal cut her short. "Now, to bed with you. You have the look of one who has not slept in days."

He grinned ruefully. "That would be because I haven't."

"What?" Lavender demanded.

"Bed," Crystal ordered, pointing.

"Yes, ma'am!" He laughingly saluted the younger girl, allowing his sister to drag him off after the others at last.

* * *

- _"Why can't you leave me alone?"_

_Trini shrugged. This was the fifth time she'd found herself meeting Spectra in her dreams, although she was fairly certain it wasn't just a dream. "I just can't," she answered softly._

_"I don't want you here."_

_"I know."_

_"Then why do you keep coming?"_

_She shook her head. "I still don't know," she answered honestly. "Maybe it's because I want to help you."_

_"I don't need your help!"_

_Trini just cocked her head, studying the other girl. No matter how many times she found her here, Spectra always sat on the same rock, always facing away from her as she hugged one knee. "Why is it you only yell when we're here?"_

_Spectra's shoulders stiffened. "I do not yell," she returned, keeping her voice deliberately level._

_"Then what do you call it?"_

_"Maybe there's something about you that irritates me to no end!"_

_Slightly stung, Trini shot back "And what's that?"_

_More silence._

_"You're very arrogant, you know," Spectra said at last, seeming almost introspective._

_"Excuse me?"_

_"It's very easy to tell someone you love them. It's even easier to say you'll die for them. But do you know how hard it is to live for someone?"_

_Trini stared as a chill ran down her spine. "What?"_

_For the first time in all their meetings, Spectra turned to look at her._

_She was as pale and sickly looking as she remembered her being when they'd met, although her curls were still the vibrant red they'd been since she'd stolen Trini's Power. But for the first time, Spectra's eyes were a sharp, brilliant green, filled with intelligence._

_"You say you'll do anything for your Soul Bonded, but do you truly know what that means?" Spectra continued, those deep green eyes glaring into hers. "Are you really capable of giving up everything you value, everything you love, everything you __***are***__, for the person you love most in the world?"_

_"Yes."_

_Spectra's eyes darkened at Trini's instant response. "Then you're naive," she hissed._ -

Trini blinked up the ceiling of the room the Bavari had given them.

After a moment she sat up, wrapping her arms around herself. It couldn't be that ... could it? Did Spectra actually ***choose*** to be evil?

* * *

"And I thought the Power Cathedral was beautiful," Ashley murmured, staring out a window at the courtyard. "This place is amazing."

Sanctuary, as Zhane as told them this place was called, seemed to be a series of connecting caves centered around a lush green meadow. The caves themselves were actually quite roomy and brightly lit, filled with comfortable, extravagant furniture. They were decorated with artifacts in every Color of the Morphin Grid, and very well-cared for. The meadow was full of beautiful plants, a stream flowing gently through, and various animals that watched them with quiet curiosity.

"Thank you."

Everyone looked up as Crimson entered. She had changed her loose robes from the day before into a pair of tighter red pants and a turtleneck with the panels she'd had earlier removed. She smiled brightly at them all. "Slept well all, I hope?"

She noticed Zhane's stare at her clothing and grinned. "We are a less traditional generation of Bavari. Altering our ceremonial robes into something more comfortable has become something of a challenge between us." She paused, adding "Currently, Apple wins."

"He follows in Lime's footsteps, then," Zhane grinned back.

"To be certain." She cocked her head. "A meal has been prepared, and I am pleased to inform you that your friends are well enough to join. It is customary for us to eat in the garden, but we are happy to adjust ourselves to a place more comfortable for our guests."

"That's not necessary," Andros assured her. "We'll be glad to eat in the garden."

She beamed at them. "Wondrous! Please, follow behind me."

Breakfast was a casual, comfortable meal as the Dino Rangers, Astro Rangers, and Pahla joined the Bavari Rangers, sitting in a circle on the grass. The food was like nothing any of the Earth Rangers had ever tasted before, and Lavender was happy to inform them that everything they ate had been grown in this very garden. The Bavari, she explained, by law did not eat the flesh of any creature. Instead, they grew their own plants and prepared everything themselves.

The Earth-based Rangers were startled by the Bavari. They were all incredibly young; Crimson claimed to be the youngest at eleven years old, while Lemon and Fuchsia shared the oldest age of fifteen. They were all friendly, cheerful, bright-eyed children who apparently served as some sort of 'priests' of the Power. Their names had been chosen once they assumed Ranger status to show their devotion to the Morphin Grid. The amount of energy they each had was somewhat discerning; it reminded the Astro Rangers and Jason - although he had only met him briefly - frighteningly of Justin.

They lived alone in Sanctuary, which was their headquarters and safe haven. Their 'assignment' as they called it, was to protect a pair of allied galaxies known as R'ga, which contained a total of twelve planets between them; of those that were inhabitable, three of them were highly powerful in the APG, Andros had told them quietly. When Trini asked if it was difficult protecting so many planets, Apple laughed.

"We are the Bavari," he bragged, as though that explained everything. "This is nothing to our level of Power."

Trini, Ashley, and Cassie exchanged puzzled glances. "What level are you?" Cassie asked at last.

Onyx elbowed his companion sharply, shooting him a dark glare. "It is rude to boast." Once Apple was suitably chastised, he looked at them. "All Bavari Rangers are Young Masters of the Grid. The Na'R'ga Collegiate allows only Young Masters to accept the Power."

Cassie stared. "Young Masters are ... "

"The fifth level of Power, one step down from Color Master," Pahla answered quietly, leaning on Jason. While she was doing considerably better than she had been yesterday, she was still weak and sore. "The Bavari Rangers are known to be one of the strongest Ranger teams in existence."

"So um, how do you know Zhane?" Ashley asked hesitantly. "I know you told us Lavender is your sister," she added quickly, "But you keep saying something about the Bavari and Kerova Rangers being allies."

Zhane smiled. "We are," he agreed. "When our parents were still in service, they met the Bavari Rangers by accident. Both teams were answering a distress signal from a planet in a nearby system that didn't have a Ranger team assigned to it. The enemy turned out to be greater than they'd expected, and they had to join forces to drive them out of the system. After that, Snow and Uncle - um, the White Bavari Ranger and Red Kerova Ranger, forged an alliance between their teams. They agreed that if either team was ever in need the other would come, no matter what the circumstances."

"And we now continue the alliance formed by our predecessors," Crystal agreed. "Therefore, any Kerova Ranger in need will always find help among the Bavari. A change of name and comrades does not matter; our resources are forever at your dispense." She studied him, her eyes moving slowly over Andros and Jason as well. "Please. Share with us the adventure that has brought you to our home."

Zhane eyed the two Red Rangers and found himself locking gazes with Zack. Grimly, they nodded to each other in agreement; neither of their leaders was up to talking. Without another word, they fell in together, each taking their turn with the story of Justin, Zeus, and their horrible, great loss against the Dark Rangers.

The Bavari were wonderful, attentive listeners. Lavender gasped as they glossed over their imprisonment and torture, grabbing her brother's hand and squeezing it tightly. They seemed amazed as they went into their trials on Phaedos, moving into meeting with Vylsn and the Eltarian Rangers. Their eyes filled with sympathy as they talked about the battle, and how they'd been forced to retreat.

Crystal seemed to be thinking as they finally finished telling how G.I.R.A. had brought them to R'ga, where Lavender had found them. "The Warrior to Protect It, The Commander to Choose Them, The Visionary to Seal Their Fates," she murmured. After a moment she looked up, her eyes focusing on Aqua. "Do you find the same conclusions I reach?"

Aqua pondered for several minutes, repeating the phrase to himself under his breath. Eventually he nodded. "Yes. The Warrior may mean many things, but there is only one lone warrior with something to protect. Only one commander has ever Chosen as he has, selecting enough to perhaps make a difference. And only she would have the Power to decide something of this importance."

Trini straightened. "You mean you know what the last part of the prophecy means?" she asked anxiously.

"What is it?" Ashley put in, leaning forward eagerly.

Crystal sighed. "It is only speculation," she warned. "We are privileged to know many things, but while we know ***of*** the prophecy, the ones chosen to fulfill it have been a closely guarded secret for centuries."

"But you still have more of an idea than we do," T.J. pointed out.

She closed her eyes for a moment. "The Warrior. The Commander. The Visionary. We believe these to be references to Colors of the Grid: Green, Gold, and White. While there are many Green Rangers, only one protects something that is not as simple as an assigned planet or solar system." She looked up, her eyes seeming to bore into them. "Dulcea of Phaedos."

"Dulcea?" Cassie repeated, stunned. "What does Dulcea protect?"

She gave her a mildly amused look. "Dulcea protects two things: the Dead Planet, as it has been ever since The Betrayal, and a secret hidden on this planet." She studied them for another moment. "The prophecy the eleven of you now bring with you."

Billy suddenly smacked himself in the forehead, startling the rest of the group. "Of course! Marina's Fins, why didn't I see it before?" he demanded of himself.

"Marina's ... Fins?" Carlos repeated slowly, staring at him as if he'd grown a second head.

He waved a hand dismissively. "An Aquitian phrase expressing frustration. The Commander who chooses ... He is the ***only*** Gold to assume the position of mentor, hence the prerequisite necessity to 'Choose'!" He froze abruptly. "Great Seas, has he making preparations against disaster during this period in its entirety?"

"Say what?" Zack asked blankly.

"Has he been planning all this time," Trini translated, watching her boyfriend in concern. "Who, Billy?"

He didn't seem to hear her. "In such an instance, it would be required to make a great deal of effort to prepare ... A four year skirmish against Rita Repulsa, Lord Zedd, and their eventual matrimonial alliance ... another year of altercations with the Machine Empire ... Tideus has repeatedly given commentary on the amount of attention spent on a relatively unimpressive and remote planet." He frowned, apparently lost in thought. "His odd remark about the tenacity and vigor of the human race. His seemingly random selection of five adolescents to fulfill such a tremendous responsibility. His assurance in our abilities and eventual return to headquarters." His eyes widened as he stared at the ground in front of him. "His immediate acceptance of various candidates without prior assessment! It has all been premeditated!" He leapt to his feet, practically crowing.

"What?" Zack shouted in frustration. "What's been - whatever? What are you talking about?"

Billy turned to him, glowing with delight at his epiphany. "Zordon is the aforementioned 'Commander'! '_The Commander to Choose Them_' is a reference to our exploits! All experiences thus far have been a test of worthiness! 'Them' is a personal testament! There is no necessity of pursuit of 'The Chosen'; they have already been thus declared! It's so ***simple***!"

Trini looking up at him in shock. "Are you sure?"

"What's simple? Serious about what?"

"Translation please, Trini?" Cassie pleaded, touching her chest with a wince. "Before Zack loses it completely?"

Zack shot her a dirty look. "I will ***not***," he groused. "I just hate it when Billy starts talking over my head until he forgets we're all here."

"***We*** are the aforementioned chosen!" Billy exclaimed, beaming at them all. "'Zordon's Children'! Zordon has been selecting chosen to fulfill the prophecy! ***We*** are 'The Chosen'!"

The other Dino Rangers stared at him in shock. "You mean Zordon's been preparing us all to fight the ultimate evil, against one of our own, for the last seven years?" Jason asked slowly.

"Yes!" Billy cried happily.

There was a long silence.

After several minutes of glee at finally solving part of the riddle, Billy finally seemed to notice that not everyone else seemed to be as thrilled as he was. He frowned at them all, puzzled. "Is something wrong?"

Trini shook her head after a moment, giving him a slight smile. "No. We're all just ... surprised."

"So ... if Dulcea is The Warrior, and Zordon is The Commander," Carlos asked slowly, "Who's The Visionary?"

Crystal and Aqua glanced at one another again. "While White is not a popular Color of the Grid, we are not as rare as those of Silver or Gold." Crystal inclined her head respectfully toward Zhane before continuing. "However, as White do not all follow the same Color Talents, there is a limited group this may refer to. Dimitria of Inquiris, Ty-bil of Yu-tari, Tommy Oliver of Earth, Rocky DeSantos of Earth, Jaemi of Wy Om Eng, and myself are the only known Visionary-Type White Rangers."

"Wait - did you just say ***Tommy*** and ***Rocky***?" Jason demanded, sitting up straighter.

"Dimitria is a White Ranger?" T.J. interjected.

"But Dulcea said Tommy's a Green Ranger now!" Zack protested.

She smiled faintly. "Yes, he is Green. However, he does possess some of the White energy. In that respect, he is a Visionary. While Rocky DeSantos currently serves under Red, he is truly a White; he also possesses Foresight. If either were ever properly trained, they would be able to employ their Talents of both foresight and post-cognition."

"Post-cognition ... Pahla said that Tommy had post-cognition ... " Ashley murmured.

Pahla nodded. "Yes. When Lady T - "

"Do not say that name in my presence!"

Everyone stared, shocked by Crystal's sudden vehemence.

Pahla bowed her head. "Forgive me."

Crystal breathed slowly, her furious expression fading. After a moment she nodded, and the gentle, mature look was back on her face. "Forgiveness is granted. I understand your connection is different from mine, and you have been in the presence of those who do not understand The Betrayal."

Jason's brow furrowed as he stared at her. Something about her wording seemed insulting somehow. He started to say something, but Pahla squeezed his hand warningly before she went on to explain.

"When Tommy suffered from mental attack, he forced out the White energy in his body. However, he still maintains a connection to the White section of the Grid. As that energy returned to him, it brought with it the beginnings of one of his Color Talents: post-cognition."

"So...Tommy's The Visionary?" Carlos asked after a pause, brow furrowing. "Or is it Rocky?"

Crystal shook her head. "Neither. Only a Color Master would be mentioned in the prophecy. Of all Visionaries, only two fit this description: Dimitria of Inquiris, and Jaemi of Wy Om Eng."

"You know where Dimitria is?" T.J. demanded, leaning forward.

She blinked, looking at him as if she'd only just now noticed him. "You speak of her familiarly."

"She was our mentor," he answered impatiently, gesturing to the rest of the former Turbo Rangers. "Zordon left for Eltar, and Dimitria took his place. She chose the four of us to take over as Turbo Rangers. But she left Earth with Blue Senturion just before Divatox destroyed the Power Chamber, and we haven't heard anything about her since."

"Is something wrong?" Ashley asked hesitantly as the Bavari Rangers seemed to be staring at them.

"You ... wield more than one Power source?" Lemon spoke up. Her expression was unreadable.

"No," she replied, looking confused. "Divatox destroyed the Turbo Powers after Dimitria left, right before she left Earth. We went into space and met Andros, and he gave us the Astro Morphers." She lifted her wrist to show her own morpher. "Vylsn rebuilt them to make them stronger, but that's the only Power we have now."

The Bavari exchanged looks, all of them wearing the same dreamy, glassy-eyed expression Lavender had worn just after they'd first met. After several minutes, Lavender stood abruptly. "I will confer," she announced, disappearing into one of the caves before anyone could say anything.

Billy shot Crystal an odd look. "I am under the impression that you had labeled yourself a Visionary."

"I am," she returned calmly, rising gracefully to her feet. "However, the Bavari share a Team Bond, which allows for a higher form of connection. Now that our meal is finished, I believe we shall all retire and reflect."

T.J. frowned. "But - "

"We shall retire," she interrupted, leveling a firm stare at him. "Crimson shall return you to your place of rest."

Crimson bounced to her feet, giving them all a bright smile that didn't seem to meet her eyes anymore. "Come! I shall happily escort you."

With confused and annoyed glances, they all rose to join her.

* * *

"Chrin?"

He started slightly, looking back over his shoulder. "Kat? How did you find me?" he asked, frowning. "This place isn't exactly easy to get to."

"I just followed - oh my goodness!" she gasped, staring in shock.

He blinked, turning to look. It took him a moment to realize why she looked so repulsed. "Oh! Don't worry, it's not Tommy," he assured her. "That's Brendas."

"B-Brendas?" she repeated, slowly moving forward. She reached out cautiously to touch the tube in front of them, staring at the man contained within it who looked almost exactly like her best friend. She blushed at his nudity, but couldn't bring herself to look away.

"Mm-hmm. That's a suspended animation tube. It keeps him sleeping while we try to figure out what we can do to help."

She seemed fascinated and horrified, unable to take her eyes off of it. "Help?"

"Did anyone ever tell you about the time Rita Repulsa tried to clone Tommy?" he asked, watching her for a moment before returning his gaze back to the sleeping man. "They left his clone in the past, with the Green Dino Coin, right?"

She frowned. "I think ... I may have heard something. Tommy didn't really like to talk about it ... "

He smiled, amused. "Well, apparently she made the clone immortal. On purpose or on accident, we're not really sure. Eventually Zordon realized he was still alive, and that he hadn't aged at all - this was way before he ever chose Jason and the others. It wasn't safe to leave him on Earth, so he sent him to Eltar. He's been living here ever since."

She bit her lip, gently tracing the side of the man's arm through the glass. "Why is he ... ?"

"In there?" His smile faded. "Well ... Everything was okay at first. He was taken care of and everything. But after awhile, he started to realize just what it really ***means*** to be immortal. Any friends he made didn't live as long as he did, and then he had to watch their children grow old and go to the Grid without him. It got to be too much, see." He sighed. "He tried to destroy himself."

She looked at him in alarm. "What?"

"It gets worse," he told her with another sigh. "He couldn't be. Not for lack of trying - because he really did try ***everything*** he could think of. But he always healed completely, not even a scar. And eventually, it drove him mad."

She just stared, too stunned to speak.

He stepped forward to stand beside her, looking up at Brendas. "When Zordon left Earth to come here, he was leaving because he was homesick, but also because he was worried for Brendas. He had the idea to make someone else that would be immortal to keep him company. That's me," he added. Then he looked guilty. "But ... we didn't get along at first. I thought he was nuts," he admitted, "And he thought I was a child. Which, technically I am. I'll never completely understand what he's gone through." He shrugged. "I really was just a kid, so I got lonely really quick. So Zordon and Alpha built Castine and Theovis for me."

She frowned. "But I thought you said - "

"That he built me because he was lonely? Well, that's true, too. But it was also because I was someone he was just starting to know that he wanted to know better, and he thought that if Tommy and Justin got along, then so would Brendas and I." He made a face. "Obviously, he was wrong. With Castine and Theovis, it was because he had heard about the new Turbo Rangers and he wanted to know what they were like, and how they got along with Justin." He rubbed his forehead. "Unfortunately, that gave Brendas the idea to try and build Milos and Ashren for himself. He was desperate for someone to talk to, someone who wouldn't leave him. So he tried to make someone he could keep forever." He gave the man in the tube a bemused look. "Brendas is ***not*** a mechanic. And by that point, he was so far gone into insanity that he decided to make them strong enough to destroy him." He shrugged again. "Instead, he mixed up their programming so that they tried to destroy ***everything***."

She shook her head in disbelief. There was so much more to the Eltarian Rangers than she'd ever imagined. "So, what happened?"

He sighed. "The five of us fought. Caused a lot of damage, to each other and to Eltar. In a way, that was one of the best things we could have done. Brendas may be a clone, but he still has parts of Tommy in him. Eltar has been his home for centuries; he loves this planet. He couldn't sit by and watch it be destroyed along with him."

"He did one of Tommy's stupidly brave moves, didn't he?" she groaned.

That made him laugh. "Yeah. He did. He got in the way of one of their attacks, and they injured him pretty bad. It shocked them enough for us to convince them that what they were doing wasn't right. Zordon did some reprogramming, so that they could function better and think more for themselves rather than believing that they were just weapons. Brendas, though ... " He gestured at the tube. "He isn't dead. But we've been keeping him here until we know that he isn't a danger to anyone anymore, least of all himself."

She stared. "That's ... that's horrible! You're keeping him prisoner because - "

"Because he isn't sane enough to understand the difference between right and wrong anymore," he interrupted her. "No one ***wants*** him here. One of the things we've ***all*** been working on is a way to help him become more mentally stable. But until we can be sure of that, we have to leave him like this." He sighed after a long moment, staring up at Brendas.

Something in his expression didn't seem right.

"Chrin ... ?" she asked hesitantly.

"Did you know?" he asked suddenly. "All Power Rangers have a Soul Bond. Even us. We may not be human, but we're still Rangers. And we're still capable of emotions, like love."

That feeling of horror was coming back again as she stared at him.

He smiled, but his eyes stayed on Brendas. "Castine and Ashren are pretty obvious about it. The only way you can tell about Theovis and Milos is the way Milos always tries so hard to get his attention. It usually doesn't look like he cares too, unless you know them well enough to tell the difference between 'Angry Theovis' and 'I'm Worried About You Theovis'." The smile dimmed. "It's hurting him to see Milos like this."

"And you?" Her voice was barely a whisper. "Who's your ... ?"

He looked at her and smiled again with pained eyes. "I can't reach my Soul Bond. I got Sleeping Beauty, see." He chuckled darkly, but her heart clenched as a tear streaked down his cheek. "I can't have mine until he's ready to wake up."

She drew a fist to her mouth, struggling not to cry as tears welled in her own eyes. "Chrin ... "

He looked up at Brendas one last time, then turned to her with the same bright smile he usually wore. "I come here when I need some space - no one else likes this room. Too many memories. But it gives me a place to think. Anyway, I should get started on Milos." He turned and headed for the ladder she'd come up through without glancing back.

She looked up at Brendas again, unable to touch stop herself from touching the glass one last time. "Please wake up soon," she whispered to him. "He needs you; even I can see it. Please. Come back to us."

"Kat? You coming or what?"

"Coming."

* * *

"I don't believe this! 'We shall all retire and reflect'? They practically banished us!" Carlos ranted.

"Zhane?" Ashley frowned, reaching out to touch his arm. "What's wrong?"

He blinked, turning away from the window to look at her. "Oh. Sorry." Her stare informed him he wasn't getting out of this, and he sighed. "It's just ... strange. I'm proud of her, really I am. I'm just ... It's hard to see her like this."

"What do you mean?" Cassie asked, watching him in concern.

He gave them both a slight smile. "The last time I saw my sister, she was eight years old. She was jealous because the last of the Astro Morphers had finally passed on, and she didn't get one. She kept crying about how it wasn't fair, because she wanted to be a Ranger, too." He sighed, looking out at the garden again. "She left on the Delta Megaship with my parents. They said they were going to visit some friends ... And now she's a ***Bavari*** - they're one of the strongest Ranger teams in existence. I'm proud of her. She's a Ranger, she's found her Soul Bonded, and she's even Team Bonded." He shrugged after a moment. "I'm just trying to adjust, I guess."

Ashley tried not to smile. "Sibling Complex. You're not used to having her not need you so much."

"Zack has one of those," Jason commented idly, relaxing on the couch with his head in Pahla's lap.

Zack shot him an irritated look. "So does Jason's sister."

Jason waved a hand dismissively. "Different circumstances. Amber doesn't count."

"Why didn't they want to talk about Dimitria?" T.J. interrupted, scowling at the wall. "The minute I tried to ask about her, they kept changing the subject."

"Actually," Andros spoke up, "It was probably because they were surprised to find out that you've used multiple Power sources." He shrugged when everyone looked at him. "It took me awhile to get used to it, too."

"I don't get it." Zack looked confused.

"Generally, when Rangers are selected for service to the Power, they are given a Power Source for their exclusive personal use," Billy answered absently. His smile turned wry. "It has become grossly apparent that Earth does not hold to this customary restriction."

Carlos stared at him. "Huh?"

"Power Rangers usually only use one Power," Trini explained. "Earth's Rangers have never done that - we pass it on to another Ranger."

"It's quite fascinating, actually," Pahla commented softly. "Rangers do not normally 'share' the Power the way that your Rangers have."

Zhane nodded. "That's why Vylsn was so angry with all of us. Morphers aren't supposed to be shared. Even the Neo-Kerova Rangers were only holding on to our Morphers until we could go to Vylsn for a new set. We were never actually supposed to morph with them."

"Morphers bond with their Rangers." Andros agreed. "They take on some of their knowledge, even a little of their personality. When you use a Morpher that's been used before, it changes you. You absorb part of the personality of the person who had it before you." He shot his partner a somewhat amused look. "Paux used to flirt constantly with any woman in front of him. As soon as Zhane picked up his morpher, he started making advances on every girl within eyesight."

"He only did it to make Uncle Gian jealous." Zhane responded without missing a beat. He returned a mischievous grin. "And Andros could have cared less about Rangering until he absorbed Uncle's sense of duty. Of course once he had it, it became more of an obsession."

"So why did they make that sound wrong?" Ashley asked after a moment.

"It's not," Zhane assured her. "It's just ... "

"Not looked well upon?" Billy suggested ruefully.

Andros winced, shooting Zhane a dirty look. "That's not what - "

"Rest assured, I comprehend your intended phrasing," he replied with a smile. "I am not offended. Yet the statement is, however regrettably, accurate."

"Speak English," Carlos demanded irritably.

Trini chuckled softly, regarding Billy with a considering expression. "He said he wasn't insulted, but most people don't like the idea of sharing Power."

"Precisely," Billy agreed.

"Why?" Jason asked curiously.

Pahla hesitated, looking down at him somewhat guiltily. "While I'm sure none of us here share this opinion ... " She winced. "In some beliefs, sharing of Power Sources has been likened to mind rape."

"What?" Cassie gasped, staring at her in horror.

Andros nodded unwillingly. "Mind rape is sort of an extreme definition, but that's the easiest to translate. It's because morphers connect to their Rangers. When the morpher's passed on, along with the personality traits and general knowledge that are absorbed ... The bond between a Ranger and their morpher isn't like the link to the Morphin Grid, it's something else that's harder to define. That's why it's considered spiritual stealing."

The Earth Rangers stared at him in shock.

"It's one of the reasons why Zordon isn't as popular in the APG as he used to be," Zhane admitted reluctantly. "There's been arguments that he didn't have much choice with limited resources and all, but some delegates think that's no excuse."

"And the Bavari believe that too?" T.J. looked outraged.

"I don't know," he muttered, sighing. "All I can say for sure is that something about the idea got them thinking."

"If that's the way they feel about it, then maybe we've outstayed our welcome," Jason said quietly, looking angry at the thought.

"But we don't know for sure if that's what's going on," Ashley protested.

Trini nodded quickly. "I think we should stay for now, at least until we understand more. They did help us solve some of the prophecy after all."

"That's true," Zack admitted reluctantly.

Jason looked up at Billy. "Billy, are you ***sure*** 'The Commander to Choose Them' meant us?"

"There is no method of indisputably accurate translation, Jason," Billy responded, looking uncomfortable. "However, in all conceivable probability, that is a feasible conclusion. Zordon ***is*** the only Gold Ranger who has ascended mutual Power Levels of Color Master and Mentor."

"Yes," Trini supplied when everyone looked at her.

Billy shot her an irritated look. "That is ***not*** what I said."

"You said you weren't sure, but you think so," she replied, smiling gently. "That means yes."

There was a quiet knock at the door. Everyone turned to see Crimson watching them. She had stopped smiling.

"We have reached our conclusion at last," she informed them all. "If your Communications Delegate will please accompany me, we will contact the remainder of your allies."

They looked at each other uncertainly.

"Why?" Jason asked, beginning to rise to his feet.

When she did smile, it was full of pain and sadness. "Because the Bavari have decided to join your war."


	45. Contact

**Author's Notes/:** I didn't forget about this story, see? See? I'm still working on it!

Chapters 37, 41, and 44 have been reloaded for some clarifications and sections that have been removed. I'm in the process of reloading all the previous chapters because I've played hunt-the-typo enough that I'm irritated with what I've posted now, but those will be the only chapters that have any small plot-related changes.

Much love and gratitude to my wonderful new betas, Hagar, Dagmar Buse, and Challon, for all their help and hard work.

Billy's comment about Delphine and astral projection was influenced by one of Billy's comments in _Of Love and Bunnies_. Go read it!

Chapter 45:Contact

Zack and Ashley exchanged glances as they followed Crimson. Andros had insisted they were the 'Communications Delegates' she had asked for, so they had gone with her. They knew they each ran the communications station of their Megazords, but calling them representatives was pushing it. And what did 'contacting the remainder of their allies' mean?

"You are both familiar with this arrangement?" Crimson spoke up suddenly, gesturing at the surrounding computers in the room they had just entered.

"I am," Ashley responded instantly, heading directly to one area.

Zack hesitated. -( _Why is it I always end up looking like the back-country hick? _)- he demanded of no one in particular.

Ashley glanced up at him and smiled. "I can show you what I'm doing, so you can take it from there," she offered.

"Thanks," he muttered as he joined her.

Crimson watched them, cocking her head. "I am confused. You have not used the communications system, but you say that you are a delegate of the station?"

Zack stiffened, but Ashley was already answering for him. "Most of our Rangers haven't run any systems outside of the Megazords," she explained. "Dimitria and Alpha took care of the Power Chamber. My team didn't learn until we met Andros." She gave Zack a wry look. "He kept staring at us and asking why we didn't know how to run the computer system. No matter how many times we tried to explain, he didn't understand."

"I don't think Zordon trusted anybody but Billy and maybe Trini with the Command Center in the beginning," he told her with a slight grin. "Kat told me he let them help in the Power Chamber eventually, but that was after two or three years."

She giggled. "I almost short-circuited D.E.C.A. the first time I tried to use this station," she confessed. "She locked us all out of the computers and refused to let us back in until Andros gave us some coaching. I think the only reason he did it was because he couldn't stand being the only one who knew how to run the Megaship." Her smile faded.

Zack wrapped an arm around her and squeezed. "D.E.C.A.'s a smart old girl. If anybody figured a way out of there, she did," he told her firmly. He paused, frowning. "And ... if she didn't, she protected her crew in the end. That's the way she would have wanted it, I think."

Ashley smiled shakily, sniffling a little. "You're right. Thanks, Zack."

"Anytime," he replied instantly, squeezing her again. "Now help me figure out this piece of junk before ***I*** blow it up!"

* * *

His species couldn't cry, exactly: they hadn't been built that way. There weren't any tears running down his face, but his shoulders still shook as he carefully stroked his brush against the canvas. His chest ached when he mixed the color of her hair.

She was beautiful. Paint and canvas wouldn't do her justice; it never had. Nothing he tried had ever captured her true mischievous nature; her sparkling eyes, her playful smile. She was a goddess, and goddesses could never be reduced to a single image.

Her image alone had brought back what centuries had erased. He still didn't know what had made him reach for Rita's clay, or what had made him sculpt it. But working with clay, even if it had never been his favorite method, had brought out the image of the most beautiful, sensual woman he'd ever known. The woman who had brought him out of his shell, made him a man, and taught him what life was truly supposed to be about. That first image of her had been followed by countless others of places and people he'd been forced to forget, until he finally began to understand who she was and what the images that came with her meant.

She was the woman he had lost when he was taken 'home', and re-trained into what he had been made to be: a killer, a murderer, an assassin. There were no 'artists' among the Simayans.

He would never return to Ozana. He refused to go back to a planet of cruelty and torture, whose inhabitants lived only to destroy and laugh at their victories. A people who would never appreciate the subtlety of light behind an upturned face, of the warm colors that swirled together to create sunset and sunrise. He couldn't live like that again.

But he couldn't go ***home***, either. Rivannon was a dead world, had been for centuries. The Rivannon Rangers had died in the line of duty decades after he'd been taken, and most likely had never known he hadn't left his adopted world voluntarily. ***She*** would have died with them, too stubborn to give up when she'd lost.

The Dark Rangers stood for everything he'd once fought against. They embodied everything he'd tried to leave behind by becoming a Ranger in the first place. They all hated him for no reason other than they didn't like the things he had to say. But they provided a place to sleep, and food if he looked for it.

He had nothing. No one respected or cared for him. All he had left was paint.

* * *

"I don't understand." Jason said, frowning. "What made you decide to ... 'join our war', as you put it?"

Crystal sighed, taking a long sip of the steaming drink in front of her. "We have reason to believe that ***we*** are also mentioned in your prophecy, and therefore honor-bound to assist you in your war against the Dark Rangers."

Lemon and Fuchsia were moving through the room, offering more drinks to everyone. "Please, drink," Lemon insisted, pushing a cup into Jason's hands. "I assure you, you will feel infinitely better. There is much to do; we must prepare all."

"Do what?" Andros asked suspiciously.

There was a long pause as the Bavari all seemed to exchange glances again. "Rest assured, we will explain," Fuchsia answered as he passed more cups to Cassie and Andros. "However, it would be best if all are present, so that all explanations and questions are given at once."

"Hey, why is yours different then mine?" T.J. asked warily, eyeing the way Billy's drink was a murky gray and lukewarm, while he had been given something clear green and steaming.

Lemon paused, looking at him worriedly. "I had been under the assumption that you have declared yourself one of Dimitria's Children. Was I mistaken?"

He blinked. "No ... Dimitria was the one who chose the four of us." He gestured to Carlos and Cassie. "Why?"

She sighed in relief. "Good. I feared you had not received what you will need."

"Say what?" Carlos raised his eyebrows.

"Zordon's Children are his Chosen," Fuchsia informed him, handing Trini a gray drink. "Therefore you will require this, in preparation for what is ahead."

"The seven of you are not Chosen," Lemon continued, smiling gently at Pahla as she handed her the green liquid. "As such, you will not need that drink. Instead, we serve a tea which revitalizes and clears the mind."

"Then what's this?" Jason asked, eyeing the gray drink warily.

"A potion of preparation," Crystal answered smoothly. "It will help. Please, drink."

Fuchsia paused suddenly, turning to give them all a warm, somewhat amused smile. "As fellow Power Rangers I assure you, we will serve nothing that would cause you harm. We are aware of your species and your physiology, and have changed the recipe accordingly." He hesitated. "We will be sending you on a journey, of sorts. It will require the proper state of mental awareness to achieve the results we desire. This is a potion to help bring about that awareness." He smiled again. "You will find it quite pleasant, I'm sure."

"Mental awareness?" Billy repeated, brightening. "You have achieved astral projection? Delphine has frequently reported a favorable response to her own experiences; I have been most curious."

"We will not show you astral projection," Onyx answered. "It is a journey of the spirit, but nothing so simple."

Billy stared at him, too stunned to decide if he was insulted or not. "Simple?"

"Drink!" Lemon insisted, tapping his hand lightly to bring his attention back to the cup.

* * *

"Zedd ... ?"

She wasn't sure why she was doing this. Normally it wouldn't have mattered. It ***shouldn't*** have mattered. And she still couldn't tell herself why it did.

He grunted.

"I ... "

This was ridiculous. She sounded like a child.

"What?" he growled.

She bit her lip, silently cursed the Emerald under her collarbone, and curled up against Zedd's back, resting her head on his shoulder.

The shoulder stiffened. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"I'm ... cold."

"Get off me. Or at least use a better line if you want sex."

She frowned, straightening. "What makes you think I'm looking for sex?" she demanded, irritation rising. "Maybe I'm just trying to figure out why you're always running around, blowing up perfectly good resource planets for the hell of it; why you tear the head off of anyone who so much as breathes at you; maybe I'm wondering what in the name of all that is evil is wrong with you lately?"

"Those used to be the sort of things you claimed you 'loved' about me," he snarled back, not bothering to roll over and face her. "Or are you worried that love potion you tried to slip me is finally wearing off? Maybe it's ***you*** who's losing your touch, Rita. Now shut your stupid trap and let me sleep before I shut it for you!"

She gaped at him, then abruptly kicked him in the backside.

Ignoring his howl of rage, she kicked off her blankets as well, dragging them off the bed with her as she stood. A flash of light summoned her usual robes, while a burst of flames ensured that he wouldn't be getting comfortable trying to tuck himself in again. After all her years on Earth, the responding phrase came naturally. "Bite me, you stupid chrome-dome."

She took immense satisfaction in the sound of the sprinklers coming on to douse the bed as she exited the room, followed by another furious yell from the walking muscle-head.

Barely inside her workrooms, her image shattered as the door closed behind her. Now once again a young, green-haired, green-eyed woman in oversized robes, she slid down the wall, trembling. "Why are you doing this to me?" she whispered, her hands shaking as she tried to bury her face in them before she could feel the tears.

The emerald on her chest glowed softly, trying to sooth her.

"Damn you!" she shrieked abruptly. She struggled to hold in another sob, lifting her head to bang it repeatedly against the wall behind her. "Why couldn't you have just stayed silent? Why did you have to wake up? Why did you make me have to believe that everything I'm doing, everything I've done, is wrong? Why are you making me ***care***?"

With another angry scream, she abruptly raised her face from her hands, clawing at her chest with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. "Damn you, damn you, ***damn*** you! Go away! Leave me alone!"

A soft green glow continued to light the dark room, even as blood slowly began to drip down her chest.

* * *

"So that's it?" Zack asked, staring at the computer in disbelief. He gave it a bemused look. "I never thought I'd see the day that I actually ***understood*** how to use a computer."

Ashley elbowed him, giggling. "Don't talk like that. You're not stupid, Zack; you pick things up really quickly."

"Yeah, but I'm the mutual enemy of all things electronic - that's why I have Billy and Trini," he quipped, moving to start up his own transmission. "So, I'll contact Eltar - "

"And I'll send out a signal for anyone who hasn't made it back," she affirmed.

They exchanged uneasy looks. If anyone hadn't made it to Eltar by now, that wasn't a good sign. And there hadn't been any word from the rest of the Rangers ...

"Eltar, please respond," Zack said dutifully. He grinned suddenly, his rebellious nature overriding the rules of protocol he had just learned. "Yo! This is Zack the Magnificent, a.k.a. The Incredible, Awesome, Powerful Black Dino Ranger, demanding to speak with ... uh ... someone." he finished lamely as Ashley laughed at him.

"_Zack?_"

The response was so fast they both blinked. "The one and only," he returned easily. "Accompanied by the lovely and intelligent Ashley Hammond, a.k.a - "

"_It's really you?_" the voice demanded, sounding as though the person was going to burst into tears.

He paused, amusement fading. "Kat? That you?"

"_Oh, thank goodness!_" This time there was a sob. "_Tanya! Tanya, come quick! It's Zack and Ashley!_"

"What's going on?" Ashley asked, leaning over Zack's shoulder to frown at the monitor. She blinked, then frowned. "Zack, you forgot to turn on the viewscreen," she chided gently, tapping a few buttons.

Kat's face appeared on the panel before them, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her hands flew over her mouth as she sobbed. "_Thank goodness,_" she murmured again, trying to give them a tearful smile.

Tanya appeared behind her, Rocky and Adam crowding in from either side. "_Zack!_" she gasped, her eyes beginning to shine with relief. "_We thought - _"

"_We couldn't find you anywhere,_" Kat put in, still sniffling with the occasional sob. "_We searched and searched but ... we couldn't ... we couldn't ... _"

"We're okay," Zack interrupted, a warm, gentle smile on his face. "It's okay, Kat. The Astro Rangers all made it to us, and G.I.R.A. took us to R'ga. We met up with the Bavari Rangers - apparently they're old friends of Zhane's." He hesitated. "Well ... Tommy teleported out before we left. He kept saying something about Kimberly." Then he forced a smile. "But I'm sure you guys already have them."

The other four stared at him in horror. "_No ... _" Kat breathed.

Adam swallowed hard, shaking his head. "_Tommy and Kim - and you guys - never made it back here. We though you were all together._"

Zack froze. Distantly, he could see his hand shaking. "They never ... ?"

"No!"

Ashley grabbed his hands, forcing him to look at her. "Don't!" she insisted. "Don't even start to think that! You're Team Bonded, remember? You'd ***know*** if something happened to them. You haven't felt anything strange, have you?"

He blinked slowly. Kimberly ... his best friend since ***kindergarten*** ... Tommy ... After a moment, he tried to focus. "No." he managed. "I haven't..."

"Focus." she told him. "Think about what you feel ***right now***. Think about Tommy and Kimberly, and how that feels."

He had to close his eyes, still too much in shock to ... Tommy ... Kim ...

The responding wave of _LoveJoyHappiness _nearly choked him.

He doubled over, coughing and blinking rapidly. "What the ... ***heck***?" he gasped out. "What was ... "

Ashley's face lit up. "You felt something, right? You felt some kind of emotion?"

He nodded, looking bewildered. "How did you know ... ?"

"Do you remember what Zhane said when we visited Vylsn, about Team Bonded Rangers? He said you had a mental and psychic connection. I don't exactly know how it works, but if you felt something, then they have to be alive," she assured him. Silently, she sent thanks to anyone who was listening that the idea had actually worked.

"Someone is hailing us," Crimson commented absently, peering over her shoulder.

Ashley blinked, turning to answer the transmission. While the monitor was on, this call didn't come with an image. "This is Ashley Hammond of Earth, Yellow Astro Ranger, currently speaking through the Bavari Rangers of R'ga," she declared confidently. "Please identify yourself."

There was a long pause.

"_Ashley?_" came a hesitant voice. The screen remained black.

Zack pounced, nearly bowling the two girls out of the way. "Kim?"

"_Zack?_" she returned, sounding startled. "_Where are you? This isn't coming from Eltar._"

"We're not on Eltar; G.I.R.A. brought us to the R'ga galaxy. Where are you? Where's Tommy? Are you both all right?" He paused. "You haven't killed each other, have you?"

"_Very funny,_" she retorted. "_We're fine._"

"Then why isn't Tommy saying anything?"

"_Because Tommy can't move past the chair in his stomach,_" came a muffled voice. "_This would be a lot more comfortable if you'd just agree to sit in my lap._"

"_And I keep telling you, I can't reach everything that way,_" Kimberly shot back. "_And you are __***not***__ flying my baby._"

Zack let out a slow breath. After a moment, he began to chuckle, which turned into relieved laughter.

"Hang on, Kim," Ashley told her, letting out a soft, thankful sigh of her own. "I'm gonna patch everyone into the same line."

"So three-way calling still works in space?" Zack teased, unable to stop grinning.

After several moments of typing, she elbowed him gently at last. "All right; you should all be able to hear each other now."

"_Hear who?_" Kimberly asked warily.

"_Kim!_" Kat cried. "_Are you all right?_"

"_I'm fine,_" she answered warmly.

At the same time there was a softer, quieter "_No._"

They heard an angry humph. "_I told you, I'm fine now! The Power made me all better, see?_"

"_I'll believe that when Trini and Ashley take a look at you,_" Tommy retorted in the background.

A yelp, followed by "_Hey! Hands off!_"

"_Never!_"

A burst of giggles followed, and everyone on both ends of the other com lines eyed the computer suspiciously. "_Kim? Tommy?_" Tanya asked warily.

"_Yes!_" Kimberly gasped, sounding a bit breathless. "_Yes, we're still here._"

"_No one's been destroyed yet,_" Tommy put in helpfully. His voice seemed louder than it had been a moment ago.

"_We're on our way to Eltar,_" Kimberly added. "_I got blown pretty far off course, and then we were stuck with repairs. And __***someone***__ kept distracting me,_" she said sternly.

There was a quiet murmur, a giggle, and an "_Oomph!_"

"Um, actually ... " Ashley interrupted, still staring at the com line, "We need everyone to come ***here***. To R'ga."

"Sanctuary," Crimson spoke up.

She and Zack looked at her in surprise, then turned back to their friends. "To Sanctuary," Ashley corrected.

"The Bavari Rangers have been helping us work on the prophecy, and they have something they think is going to help," Zack added.

"We are certain we will provide assistance," Crimson said primly.

"Um ... yeah. What she said."

Ashley jumped as a cup was suddenly put in her hands.

"Drink. It will help, I assure you," Lemon insisted. She glanced at Crimson as she eyed her own cup. "The sweetest berry tea to be found, I promise," she told the younger girl with a slight smile.

Crimson brightened instantly. "My thanks, most gracious sister."

Lemon patted the other two on the arm, then looked up at the monitor. "How many of Zordon's Children shall be arriving?"

Zack blinked. "Uh ... There's eleven of us. Minus the four already here."

"Wondrous," she murmured, patting them again. "Drink. You will feel better." With that, she hurried out.

Zack and Ashley exchanged glances. "Why doesn't yours look as scary as mine?" Zack wondered, looking down at Ashley's steaming green liquid.

"Your drink is a necessity," Crimson interrupted. "I shall transmit coordinates for our haven, and someone will await your arrival in R'ga to escort you shortly."

Adam and Kat exchanged worried glances. "_But we can't - _" Kat broke off, looking anxious again.

"_We have injured_," Rocky said with a frown. "_We can't move them ... her._"

Zack paused as something finally occurred to him. He eyed Rocky and Adam suspiciously. "Wait a minute ... Why isn't Aisha with you?"

Adam hesitated, glancing at the others. "_She's ... _"

"_In the infirmary,_" Tanya interrupted, her expression blank. "_She hasn't woken up since her group came back._"

He stared as his heart froze. Unconscious ... ? Lord, how could he not have known? She was his *Soul Bonded* ...

"Bring your injured with you," Crimson ordered. "The swifter, the better. Our solution will aid them as well. Use cryo-stasis if you must." She paused, cocking her head as her eyes glazed. "We must go," she said abruptly. "You have received our coordinates. Please join us at the earliest opportunity. There is much to be done."

With that, she ended both transmissions.

"Hey!" Ashley protested. "We weren't finished! Aisha's hurt - "

"You will see your teammate once she arrives," Crimson said briskly, a complete turnaround from the friendly, smiling attitude she'd had before. "We do not have time to hesitate. Zordon's Children must be prepared for what is to come." She headed for the door, then paused in mid-step. "Eleven, did you say?" she asked softly. "There are eleven of you?"

"Yes," Ashley responded, still stunned by the other girl's abrupt personality change. "If you mean Zordon's Children, that is. Twelve, once you include Justin."

Crimson's brow furrowed, though her expression remained unreadable. "Yet you have said it is Justin who has become Zeus, the enemy we all now fight."

She hesitated. "Well ... yes. But he's still one of Zordon's Children," she asserted, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"I see ... " Crimson murmured. She straightened. "Come. We shall join your friends, and prepare."

* * *

Curled in the arms of her beloved, Calla had never felt more peaceful and relaxed in her life. For once, there was no fighting, no hiding ... Just them, as they should have been. As she wished they truly could be.

She could feel the pull of the Power, of Trini, trying to draw her into that place where they continued to meet by forcing her to sleep, but she refused. She wouldn't sacrfice these moments for anything. Trini's questions would wait.

She nearly purred as a hand ran though her hair, trailing along her cheek.

"Why do you stay?"

And just like that, her contentment was gone.

"Why ... why are you here? You should have left me long ag - "

She was up in the blink of an eye, whirling to press her fingers against the other woman's mouth. "You promised," she whispered, her voice shaking with suppressed anger. "You ***swore*** not to question me. Not now. Not like this."

Guilt filled the brunette's eyes. "I'm sorry."

She kissed her swiftly to stop her from speaking again.

It was their agreement. The one salvation in the hell that was Calla's life was that in the few precious moments where Torrin was actually in control, they would not speak of what could happen at any moment without warning. When Torrin lost herself to her dark side again, lost that fragile grip on her sanity, and Lady Tearrah abused and tortured her Soul Bonded, laughing at her pain ...

When she locked herself away, hiding behind any mental walls Torrin and Tearrah had ever taught her. She forced herself to see nothing of what was going on around her, and forgot what it was like to care. It was the only possible way to keep from losing herself completely as she watched innocents suffer and die around her, knowing there was nothing she could do for them.

It was the only possible way a healer could survive as the lover of a bloodthirsty killer.

Calla pulled away at last, staring into her beloved's eyes. "I chose this life, Torrin," she murmured, leaning forward to lightly brush their lips together again. Always gentle, always tender, something Tearrah never was. "I chose ***you***. Never question me again."

Lady Tearrah would never allow her to speak this boldly, or make the first move.

But it wasn't Lady Tearrah that she loved. It wasn't Tearrah that she stayed for. Tearrah wasn't the reason she chose to suffer.

Tears glimmered in Torrin's eyes. "I love you, Calla," she said softly. A tear slipped down her cheek, and she tried to hold in a sob.

Calla leaned forward, kissing away the tear as she nuzzled her lover's cheek. "I love you, Torrin. And that will never change."

No matter what her Bonded's insanity forced her to suffer through.

And for one glorious night, Calla's life was filled with tentative kisses, warm hands, and gentle caresses. The only emotions flowing through the Bond between them was adoration and love, slightly tainted with guilt. Torrin's mind remained firmly closed from hers, as a gesture of love and pained understanding.

She prayed for the dawn to never come, and for herself to never lose this single, perfect night. Logically, she knew time would never stop for her, and what was broken could never be repaired. She knew that this was simply life.

All Power Rangers had a duty. Hers was no longer to her planet.

* * *

"Are you serious?" Litania demanded, sitting up straighter. "They're all there?"

"All friends safe?" Yasta asked hopefully.

Kat nodded. She hadn't been able to stop smiling since the transmission had been ended. "The Astro Rangers and all of the Dino Rangers except Kim and Tommy were all on the Delta Megaship when it went to R'ga. Apparently Tommy met up with Kim, and now they're on their way to meet us there."

Phantom leaned back against the wall, closing her eyes briefly.

"Thank the Power," Vengi sighed. "You are indeed a lucky group."

"That depends on your point of view," Rocky retorted, but he was smiling as much as the rest of them.

"Um ... question," Adam spoke up, frowning. He waited until everyone looked at him before raising his eyebrows. "How are we gonna get there?"

Silence.

"My ship will not carry more than three at most," Phantom murmured at last. "And even that will be ... uncomfortable."

"Good thing for you guys I think ahead then, isn't it?" came a cheerful voice.

They all looked at Chrin as he leaned against the doorway with a bright smile. Castine stood behind him, glancing down at him with an amused expression. She shook her head as he looked pleased with himself.

"You have a way to get us there?" Rocky asked, frowning.

"I've got something better than that," Chrin returned, grinning. "I've got Zords ready and waiting for you."

"Okay ... " Rocky said slowly, glancing over at Vengi. "Maybe you're not so wrong about the luck thing."

Chrin laughed. "Billy and I finally completed them for you." He nodded to the four Earthians. "Somebody else is gonna have to take the Griffin, since Aisha's - well, someone else will have to take that one. But they're all up and running, and there should be plenty of room for everyone."

"Griffin?" Adam repeated, straightening. "You mean you built the ThunderZords?"

"Mm-hmm," Chrin agreed. "Well, we upgraded them. But they didn't take as long as your ZeoZords would have. Besides, the ZeoZords couldn't really operate individually. And the Super ZeoZords would have taken ***forever***." He rolled his eyes at the thought. "So we decided on the ThunderZords."

"Um ... " Kat glanced at Tanya worriedly. "But - "

"Aisha gets Griffin, Tanya gets Unicorn," he interrupted before they could say anything. "Everyone else is by Color. We figured since Tanya's going to have to learn a completely new Zord either way, we'll make it the one that none of you knows."

"Yasta take Griffin. Earth Rangers no mind?" she offered tentatively.

Rocky gave her a warm smile. "Thanks, Yasta. That'd be a big help."

Adam looked thoughtful. "Then Vengi can ride with me, Litania with Yasta, and Phantom - "

"I will take my own ship," she interrupted softly.

"But what about the Eltarians?" Rocky asked, frowning.

"We're not going with you," Chrin told him. His smile didn't reach his eyes. "We'll help you as much as we can, but we can't leave Eltar unprotected. And Milos still needs us."

"We've been putting together supplies for you," Castine added, giving them a soft smile. "Each Zord is stocked with an emergency kit." She hesitated for a moment. "And we have a cryo-stasis tube ready to transport Aisha."

"I'll take her with me," Tanya spoke up, then bit her lip. "Is there anything else - "

"The Bavari are one of the strongest Power Ranger teams ***anywhere***." Castine told her gently. "If anyone knows a way to help Aisha, it's them."

"Whenever you're ready, we'll get you set up," Chrin agreed. He turned and headed back to the Zord Bay, Castine following.

"Kat?" Adam looked at her in concern. "Is something wrong?"

She blinked, tearing her eyes away from Chrin at last. "Um ... no. Well, not exactly."

"What is it?" Litania asked, frowning.

She hesitated. "Not here," she said at last, looking uncomfortable. "I'll tell you about it once we leave."

* * *

"They're going to know."

Pink Dino glanced up from reprogramming their destination coordinates. Thankfully they were still far enough from Eltar that they wouldn't have to double back. "Are you ashamed of me?"

"Of course not." She couldn't see his eyes through the helmet, but she could still tell he was giving her a dirty look. "But we'll have to deal with all the teasing."

"And Jason's gonna flip," she agreed with a sigh. After a moment she reached up to squeeze his hand. "But that still doesn't change my answer."

Green Dino leaned forward to wrap his arms around her, resting his chin on her shoulder. It was far more awkward to do while Morphed; their helmets made him need to cock his head at an angle that was slightly uncomfortable. But now that he was able to touch her again, he couldn't stop. "Good," he murmured.


	46. Together Again

Chapter 46:Together Again

Jason leaned back, banging his head repeatedly against the wall behind him. "How much longer do we have to 'reflect and clear our minds'?" he groaned.

Trini opened an eye, watching him with a slight smile. "I know you like to be active, Jason, but I never thought you'd be against meditation."

"I'm not," he retorted. "Right now, I'm just against ***me*** doing it."

She chuckled softly. "You're making it out to be more complicated than it has to," she admonished gently. "You've already done it once before, when you found your spirit animal."

He shot her an annoyed glance. "Like I said, I'm not against it. And I know ***how*** to do it. I just don't like meditating for ***five* *hours***. Or whatever they use for time around here." He shook his communicator for a moment, frowning at it. "I'm not sure if this even translates Earth time into wherever we are now. Let alone time zones."

"Heavens forbid Jason ever be rendered immobile by voluntary compliance," Billy commented wryly, looking amused.

Jason glared at him suspiciously. "I'm not entirely sure what that meant, but somehow I think I should be insulted."

"If you feel so obliged," Billy replied serenely.

Trini giggled at them before glancing at Zack. The Black Dino Ranger had been distant and gloomy ever since he and Ashley had returned to tell them the others were coming, remaining silent despite any attempts to talk to him. She sighed, her face softening. "Zack?" she asked gently. "Zack, I'm sure she's okay. She's got everyone - "

"They said she's been unconscious for two days," he interrupted flatly.

She bit her lip. "But that doesn't mean - "

He looked up at last, his eyes filled with pain. "I didn't know, Trini. She's my Soul Bonded, and I ***didn't* *know***."

"There's no way you could have - "

He shook his head. "I knew Kim and Tommy were all right. Ashley helped me figure it out - they're ***happy*** even."

Jason sat up a little straighter, frowning at him. "Happy?" he repeated.

"But I didn't know she was hurt," Zack continued, looking tortured. "How could I not ***know***?"

Hesitantly, Billy reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "Forgive me, Zack, but you do not possess - are not ... psychic," he told him gently, struggling to simplify his words for his friend. "You have been Bonded to Aisha for a matter of weeks."

"Three," Zack interrupted dully.

"Three weeks," Billy amended. "It's rare for a Soul Bonded to be so closely connected as to immediately know when the other is in danger, especially when one is in danger themselves."

"Tommy knew," Zack cut him off again. "He was screaming for Kimberly before we even knew she was shot down." His eyes narrowed. "And don't tell me it's 'rare'. Where did Pahla and everyone come from if it's weird to know when your Soul Bonded's in trouble?"

Billy winced. "Tommy and Kimberly are not - usual. And as for the others, their own lives were not in danger at the time. You were ... distracted, for lack of a better term."

"Besides, Tommy and Kim have known each other for seven years," Trini put in gently. "You and Aisha met four years ago, and that was right before we left the team. You haven't had as much time together yet as they have. You can't compare them to you; your relationships are completely different."

"Yeah, you and Aisha aren't dumb enough to let each other go when you're obviously still in love," Jason agreed with a grin.

There was a soft knock on the door before anyone could say anything else. They looked up to see Onyx, who inclined his head politely. "I have come to inform you that Crimson brings a pink bird-like Zord with her. If you are willing to delay your meditation, I will take you to greet them."

"We're willing," Jason said quickly, practically jumping to his feet. He ignored Trini's muffled chuckles. "Please," he added.

Onyx considered him for a moment, then gave a slight smile. "This way."

He led them out of the caves, through a small courtyard, and up a narrow path that slowly emerged into the sunlight. The trip was quick, which the four Dino Rangers silently appreciated. When they emerged, they found the PterodactylZord standing on the ground, perched awkwardly on one leg as Aqua fretted over it. Standing a few feet away from it, Crystal and Crimson were greeting Tommy and Kimberly. Tommy had his arm wrapped around Kimberly's shoulder, and she seemed to be leaning on him as they talked to their hosts. Each one clutched a small cup.

Lemon was already fussing over Kimberly, gently prodding at her ribs and knee for several minutes. She said something that made Kimberly blush and duck her head. Tommy laughed in response, kissing her temple with a teasing grin.

And then Trini was sprinting toward them, fighting back tears of relief. "Kimberly!"

She barreled into the other girl, nearly knocking her over with a tight hug. Kimberly shrieked in surprise even as she squeezed back, and Tommy quickly caught her shoulders to keep her upright. But the other three had rushed over by that point, and all six of them were talking, laughing, and exchanging relieved hugs.

Crystal, Crimson, Onyx, and Lemon exchanged quiet smiles, and left them to their private reunion.

* * *

"Zeus?" Astronema frowned into the darkness, turning on a light. "What are you doing in the dark?"

"Pondering life, the universe, and everything," came a distracted murmur. Zeus was sprawled across the window seat of her bedroom, staring out at the stars.

She raised an eyebrow. "Pondering what?"

He waved a hand absently, flopping his other arm over his eyes. "Sorry. Earth reference." A shoulder shrugged slightly. "Just thinking over things I've been wondering about."

She sat beside him, pushing his legs aside to make room. "Such as?"

Another faint shrug. "Why everyone I've ever met in space can speak English. Why the Rangers haven't rallied yet. Why none of the other idiots on this ship have tried anything yet, and what I should do when it happens. Why catchy songs stuck get in my head. Y'know ... everything."

She studied him for several minutes, trying to decide how serious he was. "They don't all speak English," she informed him at last.

The arm shifted slightly, and he peered up at her from under it. "Sounds like it to me."

"That's because ***you*** speak English," she explained patiently. "It's part of the magic we use. It automatically allows us to understand what others say in our own language. Some actually ***have*** learned it; Dark Spectre insists we know the language of the planet we're conquering," she added with a sniff. "But your magic subconsciously translates what you hear and what you say."

"But Rangers don't have magic. And what about the villains that don't use it?"

"Just because you don't use it doesn't mean you can't have the spell performed. There's always technology, too - there's some sort of data chip you can have implanted if you're lazy." She eyed him, silently wondering why he called them 'Rangers' instead of one of his usual insults. "And Rangers use the Morphin Grid, which works like our magic does."

"So why doesn't everyone sound the same, then?"

She sighed, wondering why he was so fixated on this all of a sudden. "Because it's being translated from the original language into your own understanding. Your magic - or the Morphin Grid - puts what's being said into the closest similarity you'd understand. Not all languages sound the same, so you won't hear them the same way."

"Huh. Interesting."

There was a long silence.

"So how do you know all of that?"

A faint smirk twisted her lips. "Ecliptor was a strict teacher."

The silence fell again, and she began to play with her hair distractedly. "The Rangers worry you?"

There was a soft sigh from below her. "They've always come back faster than this before. They're taking too long."

She sat up, frowning. "You sound like you want them to."

He seemed puzzled. "Why wouldn't I?"

A chill ran down her spine. "Zeus?"

"Huh?"

She grabbed his arm without warning, yanking it from his face.

Large, bright hazel eyes blinked back up at her. "What was that for?"

She stared.

"Nothing," she said abruptly. "Nothing at all."

He rolled his eyes at her, and they abruptly flashed black. "Whatever."

She watched him out of the corner of her eye as he settled back down, absently scratching at the cuff he wore on his left ear. She didn't understand what was happening to him, or even to herself to make her bother to care about what this might mean. There was only one thing she knew with utter certainty.

The person she had spoken to only a moment ago was ***not*** Zeus.

* * *

"I can't believe it!" Zack laughed, looking far better than he had earlier. His eyes were still shadowed, but being finally back together with their missing teammates had managed to cheer him up somewhat. "Kim actually ***fixed*** a Zord! I never thought you could touch something mechanical without ruining it!"

She glared, socking lightly him in the shoulder. "Very funny," she growled. "I ***do*** have my own car, you know. And I didn't fix her. I tried everything, but in the end all I needed to do was summon her."

"Actually, that would be incorrect, Kimberly," Billy commented, regarding her with a combination of surprise and pride. "If the Zord is inoperable, summoning would not be a solution. It would still require an immeasurable amount of refurbishment to achieve functional status."

"You still needed to fix it first," Trini supplied before anyone could ask.

"There, see? And you got all upset for nothing," Tommy mocked, shooting Kimberly a grin.

She rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. "An overnight camping trip of fiddling with technology I don't understand is not ***nothing***," she retorted.

Jason glanced back and forth between them suspiciously. "Is there something you two'd like to share with the rest of the group?" he asked wryly.

Kimberly blinked. "What do you mean?"

"What are you talking about, Bro?" Tommy put in, looking confused.

He rolled his eyes. "Maybe the fact that the last time we saw the two of you, you couldn't stand to be in the same room together, and Kim kept screaming at us to 'hit you until you stop panicking'?"

They looked at each other sheepishly. "Yeah ... Sorry about that," Tommy mumbled, blushing.

"It's okay. I'm glad to know you were worried about me. And I'm sorry I yelled at you," She smiled and flashed him a wink. "Just try not to be so distracting next time I'm in a Zord Battle?"

"No promises," he teased.

"Okay, seriously," Zack interrupted, looking exasperated. "What happened between you two?"

They glanced at each other and grinned. "Nothing," Kimberly said innocently. "Tommy just owes me a ring."

Tommy rolled his eyes. "You're not gonna let that go, are you?"

"With your memory? Heck, no! And I'm gonna keep reminding you until get me one."

"You're such a spoiled princess."

"And your memory is made of Swiss cheese. Deal with it."

Trini's eyes abruptly went wide as she watched the gentle verbal sparring. "You're ... "

Kimberly grinned at her. "Well, it took awhile, but ... "

"Someone was being stubborn," Tommy put in, smirking.

"Yes!" Trini shrieked, glomping Kimberly again. "I don't believe it! Oh, thank goodness!" She pulled away as Kimberly laughed, spinning around to tackle Tommy as well. "I was afraid we were going to have to lock you two in a closet! Oh, I'm so happy for you!"

Slowly, Zack began to smile. "It's about time you guys got back together!" he exclaimed. "For crying out loud, it was getting ridiculous!"

"Affirmative," Billy agreed as his face began to light up.

Jason regarded them both for a long moment as Trini finally released Tommy, and Kimberly moved to cuddle against his side while he wrapped his arm around her waist. "I'm glad," he said at last. His eyes narrowed. "But I gotta warn you, Bro ... If you hurt her again - "

"You won't do anything," Kimberly interrupted, glaring at him. "And for your information, ***I'm*** the one who broke it off, remember? Tommy never did anything."

"Except let you," Tommy reminded her, frowning slightly. Then he smiled. "But that's over with. And it's not going to happen again. Right ... ?" he mock-growled, leaning down towards her.

She giggled. "Never," she agreed. Then she grinned. "Which is why you owe me a ring."

He groaned. "You're not going to stop saying that until you get one, are you?"

"Nope," she returned cheerfully.

Billy frowned. "Forgive me, but what does a circular object have to do with your greatly desired romantic reunion?"

Tommy blinked at him. "Huh?"

"What's the ring for," Trini translated.

Kimberly smirked, looking up at Tommy. "Well, that's what a girl gets for giving in to her fiancé."

"***Who's*** giving in?" he demanded, but his eyes were sparkling.

"***Fiancé***?" Jason sputtered.

Trini clapped her hands together, practically bouncing in place. She looked so much like Kimberly it was unnerving. "Yes!" she cheered. Then she seemed to recover herself, putting her hands on her hips as she couldn't stop grinning at them. "It's about time! That's fantastic!"

"An engagement?" Billy looked stunned. "Matrimonial accord after such a fleeting - excluding prior - and - now - " He floundered helplessly, then forced a bewildered smile to his face. "Congratulations."

"You guys just can't do anything the normal, old-fashioned way, can you?" Zack sighed, looking disgruntled as he tried to hide a smile. "You have this thing about hooking up during life-threatening experiences."

"Do not," Kimberly shot back at Zack, but she couldn't stop smiling as Tommy squeezed her gently. "Thanks, guys," she added to Billy and Trini. She smirked at Jason. "Yes Jase, ***fiancé***."

Tommy shrugged slightly. "We've loved each other for five years. We tried being apart, and it just made us both miserable. We know we're going to be together for the rest of our lives; why do we need to hold off to make that official?"

"Don't you think this isn't exactly the time for that sort of thing?" Jason hissed, struggling to get himself under control.

"We're not talking tomorrow," Kimberly told him, looking mildly amused. She sighed, reaching up to touch the arm Tommy had around her shoulders as she gave her fiancé a warm smile. "We both want our families at the ceremony. And it's not exactly highest on our priority list at the moment." She glanced back up at Tommy. "For one thing, we want Zordon to be there."

Tommy nodded as the other four looked startled. "We never would have even really met if it wasn't for Zordon. So it won't be until after the Dark Rangers are gone and we have Zordon back. You don't have to think about it right now. It's just ... " He hesitated, looking slightly uncomfortable. "I was hoping you'd be my best man, Jase."

"Pardon the intrusion."

They all glanced over to see Onyx, who gave them a slight smile. "I am afraid I have three things I must say. First, the Bavari wish to express our delight at your Bonding, and give prayers for many happy years together." He inclined his head to Tommy and Kimberly as the smile warmed. "Second, I must ask you do your best to calm yourselves; Fuchsia has been forced to retire to his room due to the amount of emotions your friends have been broadcasting during their stay."

Kimberly's eyes widened. "You have an empath here?"

"Yes. He has expressed a desire to meet with you and offer his assistance in your training as soon as he as able." The smile seemed mildly amused now. "And third ... "

"Third?" Trini prompted after a moment.

He pointed to the sky above them. "You allies have arrived."

* * *

"I don't believe it ... "

Divatox's eyes lit up as she watched the screen. Placing her own cameras throughout the Dark Fortress had been a pain in the ass, and she'd sacrificed quite a few Piranhatrons in the process. But it was worth it. The camera she'd managed to sneak into Astronema's own room had just given her an invaluable piece of information. "I ***knew*** that brat couldn't really be evil! Ooh, this is ***perfect***!"

She shivered in delight, grinning to herself. Now that she knew Zeus wasn't as evil as he seemed, all she had to do was find out what was making him so powerful. "And then this ship and all his little cronies will be ***mine***," she purred.

She paused, tapping a finger against her chin in thought. "Now ... who ***wouldn't*** like to see Zeus humiliated and under my control?"

* * *

It came as a bit of a shock to see the five ThunderZords landing gently around the Pterodactyl. The battered DinoZord lifted its head and screeched in greeting to them.

"When did they get the ThunderZords?" Jason asked, his brow furrowing.

"That would be due to the fact that Chrin and I had decided to rebuild that set in particular," Billy responded, his eyes on the two pink Zords. "They had been nearly finished before our unscheduled departure."

Trini looked at him in surprise. "Why the ThunderZords?"

He seemed embarrassed. "Upon reflection, we concluded that the most beneficial Zords to construct would be a set. I had pondered the Super ZeoZords, however Chrin was insistent that the ThunderZords would be particularly advantageous." He grinned slightly. "He was also forced to admit a preference to labor with Morphin Energy as opposed to Zeo."

"Tommy!"

Kimberly tried to move aside as Kat came running towards them, only to find herself tackled as well. She smiled faintly, hugging back with her free arm. "It's good to see you, Kat." she said sincerely. "I'm glad you're okay."

Before Tommy could say anything, Kat had pulled away to slap his arms repeatedly. "Ow!" he yelped. "Kat - ow! Kat, stop!"

"Do you have any idea what you put me though, Tommy Oliver?" the blonde demanded, tears already streaking her cheeks. "Do you have any idea how worried I was about all of you? Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"What is it with you and getting hit by girls in pink, Tommy?" T.J. chuckled as he and the rest of the Astro Rangers emerged from the caves. He faltered when Kat spun around to glare at him, chuckling nervously. "Uh ... Hey, Kat. I, um ... " He oomphed as she tackled him. "I missed you, too?" he offered.

She pulled away with a smile, moving swiftly to hug each and every single one of them. "I'm so glad everyone's all right," she sighed, wiping at her cheeks. "We were so worried when we didn't hear from any of you ... "

"Kat?" Zack asked hesitantly. "How's ... "

She bit her lip, glancing back toward the group of Zords. "Tanya has her. She ... she still hasn't ... "

"Lifemate!"

For once, Carlos was prepared. He set his feet solidly, bracing himself for the tackle. When she slammed into his chest, he was already throwing his arms around her in a tight squeeze, nearly lifting her off the ground. "Yasta," he breathed, his eyes shining suspiciously.

T.J. found himself turning almost instinctively, his eyes scanning the people walking towards them hopefully. He frowned when he didn't see what he was looking for. "Does anybody know where - "

"Looking for me?" came a voice from behind him.

He spun around, his eyes lighting up as he smiled. Tension began to drain from his body almost immediately. "Just trying to see how much damage you've caused in my absence."

"Not nearly enough," Litania responded promptly. Her eyes went wide as his arms suddenly came around her, drawing her in close. "T - " She made a startled sound when his lips descended on hers, followed by a noise of approval as her arms wrapped around his neck.

"Ko-lin!" Cassie sprinted forward, launching herself into her girlfriend's arms. She was sobbing, clinging to her and frantically kissing any body part she could reach. Phantom stopped her long enough for them to catch each other's eyes, and instantly pulled her into a passionate embrace that rivaled T.J. and Litania's.

Zhane smiled at Andros as Ashley leaned against his other side with a sigh. "Looks like we all made it out," he told them both quietly.

"It feels better now, doesn't it?" Ashley murmured almost absently. "Like ... what was out of place is back again."

Both boys looked down at her in surprise. "Ash?" Andros asked warily.

She glanced up, smiling distantly. Her eyes still seemed a bit glazed. "It's like we're where we're supposed to be." She looked puzzled suddenly. "But it's not ... complete. We're still missing something."

Zhane and Andros exchanged looks. "Ash ... is there any psychic ability in your family?" Andros asked slowly.

"Hmm? Oh, of course not. My dad's a dentist and my mom's his receptionist." She blinked up at them after a moment. "Why?"

"No reason," Zhane assured her as Andros wondered what a 'dentist' was. "Just curious." -( _Because the Astro team has enough issues. The last thing we need is another psychic among us_. )- he thought to himself as he gave her a bright smile.

* * *

"Damn that brat!" he snarled, slamming his fists against the console before him. Studying security monitors only made it worse; he was only able to see what had happened afterward, when he was no longer able to prevent it. Now he would have to work harder to fix what had already been done. But that was the nature of his ... condition.

He paced restlessly. What had set it off? The boy had been coming further and further under his control.

Ever since that battle ... When he'd seen the Turbo Zords, the stupid child had started to cry. Some part of his true nature hadn't been completely suppressed yet. And if there was even a ***piece*** of himself left, he would eventually become useless.

There had to be a way to control him completely. Something that would shatter him. Destroy any possible chance of returning him to the side of light. He could ***not*** afford to lose this host! He'd risked too much to create this war!

He froze in mid-step as something occurred to him. Whirling, he brought the video surveillance up again, rewinding to the moment his control had firmed, and Zeus had settled back down. He paused it on the image he was looking for.

Zeus reaching up, scratching at the dragon cuff on his ear.

"No ... " he hissed softly. "I will not lose this host!" He glared furiously at the image. "You are ***mine***, Justin Stewart," he sneered. "And you will never be free of me."

* * *

"Is she ... " Zack watched anxiously as Lemon carefully removed Aisha from the cryo-stasis tube Tanya had stowed in the back of the Unicorn ThunderZord. "Will she be - "

"Hush," Lemon murmured, holding up a hand. "Please, calm yourself. She recovers as she sleeps. With help, she will be fine." She looked up, glancing back over her shoulder. Almost as if in answer, Onyx was passing her a cup of gray liquid. She glanced at Zack. "If you wish to help, please lift her into a sitting position."

He was behind Aisha in an instant, carefully easing her up to lean against his chest. "Will that stuff help?" he asked, frowning. "It didn't seem to do anything for me."

"Because you remain conscious and healthy. The drink cannot repair her burns or internal injuries, yet it ***will*** heal damage to her mind, and prepare it for what is to come. She will wake soon. As such, she will need your assistance until she is able to complete the journey." Gently, she tilted the cup into Aisha's mouth, massaging her throat until she swallowed.

The result wasn't instantaneous, but it was faster than he'd expected. After awhile of watching everyone fuss over one another, making sure they were all alive and in one piece, Zack finally saw Aisha's eyelashes begin to flutter. "A-Adam?" she murmured. "Rocky ... ?"

"Guys!" Zack called, trying not to clench her hand too tightly.

Rocky and Adam were at his side in an instant, the others hurrying to crowd around them all.

"We're right here, Aisha," Rocky assured her quickly, leaning in over Zack's shoulder. "Everybody's safe. We're all okay."

Adam managed a tiny smile, gripping Rocky's shoulder as he blinked rapidly. "You protected everyone," he agreed.

Her lips moved just enough to make out a smile. After a few moments more, her eyes drifted open, staring straight up at Zack. There was a moment of incomprehension, and then the smile grew. "Zack ... " she sighed. "You're okay."

He forced himself to smile, swallowing hard at the sudden urge to cry that rushed through him. "I definitely look better than you."

Her lips twitched again. "Pain-in-the-butt," she mumbled.

"Psycho," he returned.

Lemon touched his arm, giving him a warm, understanding smile. "Come. Let us retire to the garden. We must prepare your friends for the journey."

"What journey?" Tanya demanded, looking at her suspiciously.

She continued to smile as she looked up. "When everyone is safely inside our Sanctuary, we will explain."

* * *

Demoness idly traced the runes on her stomach with a fingertip. Smiling to herself, she tipped her head back into her pillow and sighed with happiness. This was everything she had ever dreamed. Around her she knew her 'teammates', if she could call them that, felt pain, happiness, love, fear, anger, hurt, and worry - but she couldn't sense any of it.

This one, single moment of peace, of being able to feel no emotions but her own, was worth everything. It was worth the people she'd abandoned, the home she'd given up, and even the isolation she'd forced herself into just for empathic silence. It was worth all the suffering she'd done just for this moment alone. She would never give this up.

And if murdering in Zeus' name kept the silence, she'd do it in an instant.


	47. Translations of the Prophecy

Chapter 47:Translations of the Prophecy

"Why didn't the Eltarian Rangers come with you?" Ashley asked Litania as everyone finished settling themselves in the garden.

Litania paused, looking up hesitantly as she relaxed against T.J.'s shoulder. "Well ... "

T.J. frowned down at her. "What is it?"

"They said they couldn't leave Eltar," Kat spoke up, hugging her knees. She looked pained. "They didn't want it to be unprotected at a time like this. And ... "

"And they couldn't leave Milos," Adam finished quietly. He closed his eyes, leaning into Rocky as the other boy wrapped an arm around him.

Carlos sat up straighter, frowning. "What happened to Milos?"

"Bad," Yasta whispered, a tear streaking down her cheek. "Milos strong. Good fighter." She looked up almost defiantly. "Milos fine. Chrin make Milos fine."

"What happened to him?" Ashley asked, looking around in alarm.

Vengi sighed. "His Power Flyer was badly damaged in the battle. Milos was caught in the explosion. Thankfully, his automatic shut down sequence initiated in time to save his data – his memories, that is. However his body was still caught in the blast."

Cassie stared at him, a hand coming up to cover her mouth in horror. "He - "

"Chrin said he'll be all right," Adam interrupted. "It's just ... just structural damage, he said. So he looks bad, but he'll ... he'll be all right."

"How bad?"

Everyone winced.

Rocky looked at Carlos sympathetically. "It's gonna be fine, man. He'll be okay. So you really don't need to - "

Carlos cut him off. "Don't pretend to understand how I feel, Rocky." He paused as Yasta meowed softly, looking anxious as she squeezed his arm. After a moment he sighed, taking a deep breath. "Look, I just ... it's complicated. Just tell me what's wrong with him."

"His right arm is gone," Litania remained expressionless as she looked at him. "So is the right half of his face. There's a lot of damaged circuitry; Chrin wasn't sure how long it will take for him to recover. And Milos wasn't built by Zordon, so his structuring is different. It complicates things."

"He wasn't ... built by Zordon?" T.J. repeated, swallowing hard as he fought the urge to either cry or be sick; he wasn't sure which. "But Dimitria said ... "

"Zordon built Chrin, Theovis, and Castine," Kat interrupted gently. "Someone else created Milos and Ashren based off a modified plan. They were supposed to be - well, they were made for something else." Catching sight of the stony look on Carlos' face, she sighed. "Zordon made Chrin out of loneliness. He built Theovis and Castine to give Chrin someone to play with, and so he could see what the new Turbo Rangers were like." She hesitated, glancing at Tommy for some reason. "A man named Brendas found the blueprints for them and tried to alter them into some sort of weapon when he made Milos and Ashren. Zordon sent the other three to subdue them and ... eventually they joined them. But Brendas wasn't much of a mechanic, so he really didn't know what he was doing."

"Not to mention he was completely off the deep end at the time ... " Rocky muttered, wincing as Adam elbowed him sharply.

"So Milos has a ... " She paused. "Chrin said he and Ashren are sort of a simplified version of the other three, but they weren't built quite right so they don't ... work as well. Apparently Zordon did a lot of repair work to make sure they wouldn't have any problems. He needs to work through all the different types of circuitry to get him operational again. Once he does, his memories are still intact, so ... " She tried to smile. "He'll be fine."

Rocky shuddered. "Ashren wouldn't stop crying ... "

"The expression on Theovis' face," Phantom murmured in agreement, causing everyone else who'd seen it to wince.

"What do you mean?" Cassie asked softly, looking up at her.

"Milos and Ashren were built by the same person. That makes them like siblings," Tanya spoke up. "And Chrin said Theovis and Milos are Soul Bonded."

The four former Turbo Rangers looked at her in shock. "Soul Bonded?" Ashley gasped.

She nodded. "So are Castine and Ashren. He said he didn't have his yet."

Carlos remained silent, looking troubled as he stared at nothing in particular.

After a long silence, Jason cleared his throat loudly. "Um, the Bavari Rangers have been helping us work on the prophecy." he announced, trying desperately not to think about the Eltarian Rangers. Good lord, they were only ***children*** ... toddlers, if you went by actual, physical age ... He forced himself to look over at Crystal, fighting back a shudder as he remembered that she was only fourteen. Only slightly younger than he'd been when he first met Zordon.

Just two years older than Justin ...

"They think they've got a solution for us." he finished as he struggled to keep from flinching.

"We do not think; we ***know***," Crystal corrected him. She looked to Lemon and Fuchsia, who had finally emerged from his room. "They have all taken Clarity?"

-( _Why does it sound like they're trying to give us drugs? _)- Rocky wondered warily, eyeing his now empty cup suspiciously.

"Yes," Lemon affirmed. "All have finished their dosage."

"We would have preferred they each have more time to focus before hand," Fuchsia continued. He seemed pale, leaning on Crimson as she gently reached up to wipe sweat from his forehead with a cloth. "But there is no help. It must be done as soon as possible."

Aqua nodded, frowning. "The Triad is growing restless. They sense we are no longer alone here."

Crystal scowled abruptly. "That is no one's business but our own. They have offered the Power; we are the ones who serve it. They no longer have jurisdiction over us."

"But they'll make things difficult in the future," Lavender told her, squeezing her hand. Something about her seemed off as well. In the right light, she almost seemed to be literally glowing purple.

"An unfortunate truth," Apple agreed, shrugging with a slight smile.

Crystal sighed. "Very well. I shall explain."

She looked up, her bright white eyes passing over them all. "_Purest hearts to prove their worth, Darkest Hearts with Tainted Power. Ranger against Ranger, friend against friend, love against love._ This has already occurred. You have journeyed through the jungles of the Dead Planet, proving your worth to its Guardian, who has allowed you to view the prophecy in its entirety. Your Power was drained by the Dark Rangers, who have tainted it with pain, fear, and despair.

"The second line we find rather simple. Dark Rangers are opposed by Rangers of Light. You seek to stop your former friend, Justin, who has now become Zeus. Soul Bonds who find themselves on opposing sides are now forced to fight one another directly."

"Wait a minute," Kimberly interrupted, frowning. "You mean the '_love against love_'? But none of us are - "

Crystal leveled a look at her that silenced her in an instant. "The line refers to those who love from opposite sides," she repeated, her tone warning them not to argue with her. "Scorpina, Demoness, Astronema, and Zeus do not fight alongside their Soul Bonded. That leaves suspicion that their Soul Bonded are among the '_Four Keys of Salvation and hearts destined to be, to draw back the Power of Light_'. Astronema's Soul Bonded is already among you; Fuchsia has sensed his despair the moment he arrived."

Andros stiffened. "What?"

Crystal glared at him for the interruption before nodding to Zhane. "Being a child of the Kerova Rangers, you have known of this, yes?" she asked him.

Zhane nodded slowly, refusing to look at anyone else. "Yeah ... I've ... known for awhile now. It got ... " He winced, touching his heart. "More painful, once she took my morpher."

The look on his face was so utterly forlorn that Ashley leaned over to squeeze him tightly, looking worried.

"Zhane ... " Cassie whispered, staring at him in horror.

The look growing in Andros' eyes was not entirely friendly.

"The Soul Bonded of Zeus we have been informed has, regrettably, not been Chosen as of yet," Crystal informed them. She seemed to hesitate. "We are uncertain as to who exactly the fourth Key will be at this time." She stared into the distance for a moment before abruptly shaking her head.

"'_Many Bonds broken, both sides will Lose. One Light Lost, Two Lights Gained_,'" she went on, frowning at the ground in front of her. "This is a warning. There will be great loss in this battle, for both Dark Rangers and Light." When she looked up again, her eyes were unreadable. "One Light Ranger will die. Their sacrifice will bring two more Rangers of Light in their place."

"You can't be - it can't mean that!" T.J. protested.

She fixed him with another sharp look. "I do not enjoy telling of this. I do not wish for this to happen. I say it to you because it must be said. Do not speak as if I tell you lightly."

Kat reached over to squeeze T.J.'s arm. "He didn't mean it that way," she assured Crystal quickly. "It's just ... is that the only thing it could mean? Can't it be interpreted another way?"

Lavender touched Crystal's shoulder before she could speak. "We understand that you don't want this to be true," she said gently. "We hesitated, because we hoped we were wrong. That's why I left to confer. We wanted to be certain before we told you." She gestured to herself, shifting slightly as she gave them a faint smile. "The purple isn't a trick of the light; my skin is ... " She frowned, searching the best way to put it.

"Empowered," Aqua spoke up.

"Spiritually vitalized," Fuchsia put in.

Lemon gazed at her serenely. "Communing."

She gave them all a slight smile. "I've been ... meditating. The color is a sign of the length of time I spent doing so." Her smile faded. "Unfortunately, I found that we were right. The prophecy means what we were able to translate from it. Furthermore, we can't be absolutely certain of who the three Lights are; they refused me a straight answer despite how long I tried."

"Which you should not have done," Crystal snapped.

Lavender only squeezed her hand again, staring at her for several minutes. "This prophecy is for my brother," she reminded her softly. "I would have stayed longer if it would have given me an answer."

Crystal scowled, but didn't reply.

When Lavender looked at them all again, her glowing eyes were pained. "Please, forgive me. I tried to demand an answer, so that I could at least have some sort of warning, but I wasn't successful. The most comfort I can give you is that while the prophecy ***is*** coming true, nothing is cemented. Things may change at any moment."

"Thank you," Trini spoke up suddenly. Her eyes shone with tears, but her expression was compassionate. "Thank you for trying so hard to help us."

There was a pause.

"The other three lines have us more concerned," Crystal told them at last, her expression hard. '_Power of The Many to The Chosen_', '_Truth and Love Reawaken The Center_', and '_The Rainbow rules supreme_'. The Center is the center of this torment; the cause of everything that has occurred."

"Vengeance," Zack agreed, holding Aisha gently. While conscious, she was still extremely weak, watching them all through half-lidded eyes.

She eyed him. "No. Vengeance is a catalyst, not The Center. He forced the change, but he is not what has caused it."

"The Center of everything ... would be Justin." Rocky said softly. He looked up as everyone stared at him again, offering another sad smile. "It is, isn't it."

Crystal nodded. "With Justin's change to Zeus, the Dark Rangers have been gathered, and Astronema has become the last Dark Ranger. To defeat Zeus, you must awaken the remnants of Justin within him."

"With truth and love ... " Kat murmured.

"He said we turned on him," Carlos said abruptly. "I don't know why, but before he started - started in on me, he said that we called him weak and stupid, and abandoned him." He frowned. "And something about saying good riddance when we 'left him behind'."

"The shuttle," T.J. groaned. "When I was trying to ask why he wasn't there yet. Cassie said - "

"I said he was staying behind to be with his dad, and then you said maybe it was for the best," Cassie interrupted. "Because you were worried about him.

T.J. nodded miserably. "And he said something to me about hating Earth Rangers because of our 'b.s.' about friendship and teamwork, and 'Once a Ranger, Always a Ranger.'

Zack raised his eyebrows, making a sound of amusement. "I'd say 'Once a Ranger' is true," he commented, gesturing around. Everyone smiled faintly.

"That is the declaration of your mission," Crystal continued, looking at them all in annoyance for another interruption. "'_The Rainbow rules supreme_' is a statement of arrogance. 'The Rainbow' refers to the Grid. It does not state Light or Dark; only that above all, The Grid will win."

"That's ... odd," Trini frowned.

Crystal took a deep breath. "The line of greatest concern is this: '_Power of The Many to The Chosen_'. It is the line which requires our involvement. It is the reason you have all been brought to our haven." She glanced at Billy out of the corner of her eye. "Billy has already come to understand the true meaning of 'The Chosen'; he is close to the complete solution."

"What do you mean?" Adam asked, looking puzzled.

Vengi seemed wary. "I had believed '_The Power of The Many_' referred to the alliance of several Ranger teams, as we have become."

Aqua was already shaking his head. "A wise solution, but no. Billy is on the correct path."

"Billy?" Kat shot him a curious glance.

"We are The Chosen," Billy answered simply. He had stopped smiling now that the initial glow from finally solving the riddle was gone. Instead he was solemn, looking around at them all as he waited for the others to understand what he had. "Zordon's Children. ***We*** are The Chosen."

Kat's eyes went wide.

"Are you sure?" Tanya wanted to know, staring at him.

He nodded reluctantly. "When the Bavari Rangers deciphered the last of the prophecy, they brought '_The Commander to Choose Them_' to my pressing awareness. During my period with the Rangers of Aquitar, it came to my attention that Zordon is the ***only*** Gold Ranger to have ascended to the position of mentor. Thus, he is the only 'Commander' who has 'Chosen'."

"And he 'Chose' us," Trini breathed.

He nodded again. "Affirmative. We are the remainder of Zordon's selected apprentices. The final pair are, regrettably ... unattainable."

"Remaining ... what?" Carlos demanded, leaning forward. "You mean there are ***more*** of Zordon's Children?"

"Well ... " Billy shifted slightly. "Essentially excluding the Eltarian Rangers, there are two." He glanced up almost guiltily. "Justin ... and Ri-tah of Yu-tari."

Cassie's head snapped up. "Yu-tari?"

"Yes," Phantom spoke up coolly. "The Gemstone Rangers of Yu-tari have always been selected from the Ranger Collegiate. The single day that Zordon once visited, he selected the first female in the planet's history to be become a Ranger." She looked up at them all. "Ri-tah, who would later become Rita Repulsa."

"***Zordon*** Chose ***Rita***?" Zack said incredulously.

"No way!" Kimberly gasped.

Phantom's eyes were dull. "That is the reason why he spent so long hunting her; in essence, it was his fault."

Jason sat up straighter, his eyes narrowing. "Zordon didn't turn Rita evil," he said sharply.

Phantom's stare turned to him. "No," she agreed coldly. "But he Chose The Traitor who betrayed my planet. It was because of Rita that females were banned from becoming Rangers." Her eyes darkened. "It was because of her that females are considered evil, lesser beings. It was because of ***her*** that ... " She clenched a fist.

Cassie wrapped her hands around the fist, staring at her with horrified understanding. "But you're ... "

Phantom closed her eyes briefly. "I ***was*** Chosen as the Ruby Gemstone Ranger of Yu-tari. Once, long ago. I had disguised myself to enter the Collegiate due to ... circumstances," she said stiffly. "The reason I am no longer a Gemstone Ranger does not matter. All that is necessary for you to understand is that yes, Zordon Chose The Traitor." Her voice was harsh and bitter.

Billy nodded slowly, even as he gave Phantom a quietly considering expression. "Out of Zordon's Children, the only ones still alive are the eleven of us, the Rangers of Eltar, and two more. And the eleven currently in this vicinity are the only still available."

Crystal watched him through slightly narrowed eyes. "Yes. You are The Chosen. And as Zordon's Chosen of Earth, you possess an ability that no other Ranger has ever possessed."

While the Earth Rangers looked bewildered, comprehension was dawning in everyone else's eyes. "That's it," Andros breathed, staring at Ashley in amazement. "That's ... "

Zhane's head snapped to Crystal. "But that's never been done before!" he protested. "I thought it was just circumstance with them. Are you sure it's even ***possible***?"

"It is unprecedented," she agreed. "However, it is apparent that these eleven are not ordinary Rangers."

"To be certain ... " Pahla murmured, seeming stunned.

"Are you certain they won't be harmed?" Vengi demanded, holding tight to Tanya's hand as she looked at him in confusion. "The lack of side effects at this point doesn't mean they couldn't - "

He received an annoyed look. "It is unprecedented," Crystal repeated. "We do not know what will happen. We do however, know that if there is any who will ever achieve the ability to do what they have with even more Power, it will be these eleven."

"We believe that is why The Visionary is necessary," Onyx put in quietly. "We believe that 'To Seal Their Fates' is an allusion to one who will show how to not only accept, but combine several at once."

"That's outrageous!" Litania shouted, jumping to her feet. She glared fiercely at Onyx. "What you're suggesting is - they could be killed! And all because you 'believe' that's the solution?"

"Stop!" Crimson's voice cut in sharply. Her arms were around Fuchsia as he buried his face in her shoulder, clinging to her tightly. She glared up at Litania. "There is no certainty in ***any*** of this. But 'The Many' cannot be something so simple. If it had been, your first battle would not have been so disastrous."

Litania stiffened. "That was - "

"That was nine different Power Sources," Apple interrupted. "Twenty-seven Light Rangers against ten Dark Rangers. And you lost. Spectacularly, you lost." He ignored Onyx's warning glare. "If the 'Power of the Many' had meant Ranger teams, you would have defeated them with ease. You did not."

Onyx frowned at him. "Therefore, we must conclude that the 'Power of the Many' does not refer to many teams, but many sources."

There was a long silence.

"What ... ?" Tommy asked slowly.

Apple looked at him. "Rangers ***do not*** share Power Sources. No Ranger within memory has ever used more than one. Yet the eleven of you both have, and have ***thrived***."

"I don't know if I'd call it 'thriving'," Zack grumbled, still stunned.

"Your planet remains intact, and you have in essence, never been defeated," Lemon told them. "While you have lost sources, you all live. Your planet is secure. You have never been defeated."

"I never ... thought of it that way..." Kat murmured.

"This is why we have brought the remainder of you to Sanctuary," Crystal informed them. "You have already absorbed the Sacred Animal Spirits of the Ninjetti. Now we give you our Power Source."

Zhane stared at her. "You ... your ... Are you ***serious***?" he demanded incredulously.

Her eyes remained cold. "I would never make such a statement lightly, Zhane."

"There are several Power sources to be found," Lavender told them, leaning closer to Crystal and wrapping an arm around her comfortingly. "The strongest - the ones we believe you'll need - are Morphin, Ninjetti, and Zeo. You have Ninjetti, and several of you already touched the Power of the Zeo Crystal. You only need to find it again."

"But - " Billy sputtered, staring at her. "Lord Tyl - Lord Tyl of Triforia has been out of contact for an immeasurable period of time, and no amount of investigation has been able to locate him!"

Crystal held up a hand, glaring at them all again. "In the case of the ever-absent Lord Tyl, even he may not refuse a summons by friends of his grandfather. If the former Zeo Rangers were to call for him, he would come."

"Our greatest concern is how to combine these Powers," Aqua murmured, making them all strain to hear him. "The sources we have listed embody the Morphin energy, the Power of the Sacred Animal Spirits, and the technology behind the Zeo Crystal. They are generally considered to be incompatible."

"But if that's true, then why would we need to combine them in the first place?" Tanya asked with a frown. "And how would we do it?"

Apple shrugged. "We can't be certain. All we know is that is the meaning of the Power of the Many."

Crystal stood suddenly. "We do not have time for this," she said sternly, glaring at them all. "As for the Morphin energy, we alone have a source that we are able to share. Its secret has remained hidden for centuries; it is only told among the Bavari." She lifted her chin. "It is rare, and strong. We share this with you out of desire for your success. This is not an offer we give lightly."

More silence.

"What ... what's this ... power source ... you have?" Kimberly asked hesitantly.

Crystal seemed to draw herself up even taller before their eyes; the pride on her face was unmistakable. "We possess a Power Spring."


	48. The Power Spring

Chapter 48:The Power Spring

Billy seemed to have gone into shock as he stared at Crystal. "You have - but that is only existent in theory! There is no feasible, veritable proof of its authenticity!"

"You're joking!" Andros sputtered, looking completely stunned. "That - that can't be - "

"You're telling us you want to put them in a ***Power Spring***?" Litania shouted. "Are you mad? Why not have them ***drink*** from it as well?"

The arguments and shouting flew through the air, but the Bavari didn't move. Crystal's glare was as cold as ever, and Lavender was now hugging Crystal's arm tightly as she looked upset. Crimson scowled furiously at them while Fuchsia practically cowered in her arms. Aqua sighed quietly, looking almost bored, Lemon watched with sad eyes, Onyx remained emotionless, and Apple looked irritated.

"***Hold it***!" Jason bellowed.

Everyone went silent.

Taking a deep breath, he turned to Crystal. "What's a Power Spring?" he asked quietly.

"A place where the barrier between the physical realm and the Morphin Grid has been breached, allowing Morphin energy to spill over into the physical world. It is a direct connection to the Morphin Grid itself." She studied him for a moment. "One of the reasons we Bavari are the strongest of Rangers is because we protect it. In exchange, it allows us to bathe in it without harm."

"You've been ***bathing*** in the Morphin Grid?" Zhane hissed at his sister.

Lavender met his gaze without flinching. "Yes," she answered simply. "It's what gives the Bavari Rangers their Power." She lifted her chin slightly. "Violet chose me even though I'm Kerovian; I'm the first Bavari Ranger who isn't a Mahalin. The ones before me will ***never*** harm me. They're proud of me." Her purple glow of her eyes dimmed, and her expression was hurt as she looked at him. "I thought ***you*** were proud of me."

He flinched, looking tortured. "Sprite ... "

"What is this Power Spring supposed to do?" Jason interrupted loudly, still watching Crystal.

Litania stared at him incredulously. "You can't seriously be considering - "

"It is a link to the Grid," Crystal told him. "By entering the Spring, you are essentially entering the Grid. If you are indeed Zordon's Chosen, the Grid will decide what is to be done with you. There is no deception in the Grid; it will weigh your soul, take measure of you, and determine what is to be done. If it declares you worthy, you may receive an immense amount of Power."

"If?" he repeated, raising his eyebrows.

She hesitated for a split second. "We cannot say for sure what will happen; no one but the Bavari has ever used our Spring."

"So this may not even help?" Tommy demanded.

"The ones before us have asked for you," Lemon spoke up softly. "During Lavender's debate, they shared the wish for you to meet with them as well. This is also unprecedented. The Spring has never 'asked' anything of us other than to protect its secret. We have never shared it, verbally or physically, with anyone. There is no one for us to consult; we must simply move forward on what we believe to be the best path."

As Jason studied her for a moment, he was abruptly reminded again that she was only fifteen. The Bavari didn't have any more idea of what they were doing than they did. -( _Would Zordon want us to try? _)- he wondered silently.

After a moment, he answered himself. -( _Zordon would want us to decide for ourselves_. )-

When he looked up again, his eyes were determined as he met Crystal's. "I want to try."

To judge by Litania's incredulous stare, she was seriously considering walking over and hitting him.

Pahla looked up at him, studying him for several minutes before giving him a slow, understanding smile, and squeezing his hand. She didn't say anything, but he knew she respected his decision. Somehow he got the feeling she didn't like it, but she wouldn't stop him.

The Dino Rangers didn't even have to look at each other before they had all nodded in agreement; whatever Jason decided, they would follow. If he believed they should try, they would. Billy still seemed somewhat nervous, but he said nothing as he gripped Trini's hand.

The remaining five did look at one another, but they each smiled when they did. "We're in," Rocky said promptly.

Crystal nodded slowly, closing her eyes briefly as she seemed to steel herself.

"Are you guys sure?" Andros asked, frowning uncertainly. "This isn't ... "

"This is something that could help us save Justin," Kat interrupted him with a weak attempt at a smile.

Adam nodded, looking almost grim. "It's something Zordon believed we could do."

"And we have to try," Tanya finished, staring at Vengi as the look in her eyes begged him to understand. He nodded once, slowly, and she smiled as he lifted her hand to kiss the back.

Litania looked furious. "Well, if you're all so anxious to get yourselves killed, who am I to stop you?" she snapped, whirling around. She stalked off without another word.

"I'll talk to her," T.J. said quickly. He bowed his head to the Bavari Rangers the way he'd seen Andros do. "I'm sorry ... she's just ... "

"I can feel her concern emanating as well as I hear your voice," Fuchsia spoke up hoarsely. He looked worse than before: he was clearly sweating now, and he looked feverish as he seemed to be struggling to breathe. "Apology is unnecessary. Please - go to her."

T.J. nodded and swiftly disappeared in the direction she had gone.

Crimson was frowning down at Fuchsia. "You must - "

"I will wait," he cut her off. "Their need is far greater than mine. The sooner this has finished, the easier we will all breathe." He glanced at Crystal, nodding slightly in the direction Litania and T.J. had gone. "I shall remain here until their return."

Crimson glared angrily at him, but his expression remained firm.

"Come," Crystal said at last, moving to stand. She looked at them all. "I advise that you do your best to calm yourselves and clear your minds. I cannot say for certain what the Spring will require of you. It is practice for us to open our minds to the Power of the Grid in preparation. I assume it will aid you, as well." She gestured for them to follow, and began to lead them deeper into the caves.

* * *

T.J. found Litania in the courtyard, almost at the path to the outside. She was leaning against the cave wall, face buried in her left elbow as her right fist reached up to hit the wall. After a moment, her shoulders shook slightly.

Compassion and understanding came immediately as he watched her, his expression softening. There hadn't been a lot of time for him to spend alone with Litania with everything that was going on, but he was trying. He already knew he cared about her, even if he didn't completely understand why. But he also knew that despite her flirting, teasing nature, Litania was a very passionate person. She fought hard, laughed hard, and loved even harder. And when she cared for something, she cared so deeply it hurt.

She tensed when he put his arms around her, and for a moment he was sure he was going to get a few new bruises. But the moment passed, and she turned suddenly to hide her face in his shoulder. He felt something damp as she shuddered. "Come to lecture my rudeness?" There was bitterness in her muffled voice.

He brought his arms around her, running a hand over her curls as he kissed the top of her head lightly. "No," he said quietly.

Her head tilted just enough to look up at him suspiciously. As he'd expected, her eyes were slightly red and shining with tears. "No?" she repeated dubiously.

"Not for this." He smiled at her, lifting her chin up to rest his forehead against hers. "You're scared for them. I couldn't yell at you for that; I'm not a hypocrite."

She looked startled. "You - " Her eyes narrowed as she humphed indignantly. "And what makes you think that ***I*** am afraid?"

"You can't hide it." His words were soft. "You're upset because you're afraid of what's going to happen. You don't want anyone to get hurt."

Her eyes flickered to the side. "It would be ... it would make things difficult if something were to happen to Zordon's Children. I'm only annoyed at their lack of consideration."

As he looked at her, he realized abruptly that he loved her. He blinked, wondering when that had happened; he wasn't exactly the head-over-heels type. Girlfriends had never been high on his list of priorities, either. It startled him, but he just ... knew.

Slowly he smiled, kissing her temple. "You're a terrible liar," he told her. He reached up to gently wipe her cheeks. "It's okay to be worried, Litania."

"I'm not worried!" she blurted angrily. She faltered at his knowing look, his eyes understanding her without judging. "I - I'm not ... " she stammered, her eyes flicking away again.

T.J. couldn't help it; he kissed her.

He cupped her chin in his hands as he finally pulled away. "You know what I just realized?" His tone was more reflective than anything, but his eyes sparkled. "I love you."

She blinked. After a moment, she smirked at him. "It took you that long to figure out?"

He shrugged. "Yeah," he said honestly. He watched her for a moment. "They're going to do it anyway. They have to. Even if there's just a chance that it'll help, that's still a chance."

"Then you're all fools," she muttered, her expression darkening.

"Yeah," he agreed, stroking her cheek. "But that's what makes us Earth Rangers."

The corner of her mouth twitched. "There must be some sort of poisonous gas in the atmosphere of your planet."

He laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and squeezing. "Probably." He kissed her one more time, then smiled. "Come on. Let's go watch the fools get themselves killed."

She scowled even as she walked beside him back to the garden. When he caught her hand in his, she squeezed back. "I'm not helping any of them. They made the choice; they can deal with the consequences on their own."

"I know."

"I won't."

"I believe you."

"I won't." She glowered mutinously as he continued to smile.

* * *

The Earth Rangers weren't quite sure exactly what to expect from this 'Power Spring'. Crystal's vague explanation had left them all wondering, especially since - excluding Billy - they seemed to be the only ones with no idea what it was. Unfortunately Billy had been muttering frantically to himself about 'illogical impossibilities' while Trini tried to calm him down, which made it difficult to ask him what it was. Instead, they were forced to wonder by themselves as they followed Crystal deeper and deeper into the caves, moving down into a place where the only light came from rocks glowing softly along the path. It was getting colder, and the air was damp. Somewhere the sound of dripping water echoed, creating a somewhat unnerving atmosphere around them.

The path through the caves had narrowed, forcing them all to walk single file. Crystal never stopped and never looked back, walking as though she expected them not to ask questions. She only slowed when they seemed to reach a dead end. Before anyone could ask, she wiggled through a small crack in the rocks which looked to have been left after a cave-in.

Jason hesitated only a moment before forcing himself through. It was smaller than he'd hoped, but still just big enough to cram himself inside. He turned to offer a hand to Pahla as she followed, listening to make sure everyone else was still all right. Then he turned to find Crystal, and stared.

The cave was huge, open, and airy, the high arched ceilings glistening with stalactites. Something had caused the entire place to glow with a rainbow of colors, every rock shining brightly. In one corner a large crack had formed, where liquid spilled out into a natural fountain. In one glance, it was obvious that the fountain was what they had come looking for. The liquid coming from the wall wasn't water: it glistened and shone with more rainbows. The colors separated and mingled together again as they flowed down into a large pool in the very center of the cave. They continued to blend and twist in the pool, creating the effect of a fluid rainbow. It steamed in places, looked ice cold in others. Above all else, it was the most incredible, beautiful sight any of them had ever seen.

Kat struggled to find words. "It's ... it's ... "

"Wow," Rocky whispered.

"Yeah," Tommy said softly. "Wow."

Crystal looked at them as the rest of her team moved to stand behind her. "At this point, you will go alone. We cannot tell you what you will find in the Spring, and we cannot help you understand it. All we may do is give you our prayers for your success."

"Thank you," Jason told her sincerely. While he didn't completely understand everything that was going on here, he did know that the Bavari had just done something important for them. 'Thank you' seemed like a pitiful way to put it, but there was no other way.

Crystal smiled at him in return, her cold eyes softening for once. She titled her head slightly toward him in acceptance, but said nothing more.

He turned to consider the pool. How they were supposed to do this was up to them ... His eyes narrowed, as only one solution seemed best. The way Earth Rangers ***always*** did things: as a team.

"Everybody in," he commanded. His voice was soft even as it echoed through the chamber.

They moved as a group to the edge, each taking a place as they formed a circle around it. Aisha, still weak, leaned on Zack as he kept one arm gently around her waist to hold her up. Everyone looked around the circle, each person matching eyes one after another. They were nervous, they were scared, they were uncertain. But they were together.

The Astro Rangers exchanged puzzled glances as they watched. The way the group had chosen to stand was odd - not the circle itself, but how they'd positioned themselves. Instead of each team standing together, the way they usually did, they had all chosen a particular pattern to stand in before separating to leave a specific amount of space in between each person.

Rocky was closest to the spout of the fountain; Jason had moved to his immediate left. Following Jason was Kimberly, then Tommy. Billy stood on Tommy's other side, but for some reason, the two boys had left a large gap between them - big enough for another person to fit - making the only break in the circle. After Billy came Tanya, Trini, Kat, and Zack. Aisha clung to Zack and Adam's hands as she forced herself to remain upright; she was still pale, and it was obvious by the look on her face she was standing on sheer determination alone. Adam was last in the circle, reconnecting it to Rocky.

There was no command this time. They moved as one, each instinctively catching hands with the people on either side of them. And as one, they stepped down into the pool.


	49. In the Grid

**Author's Notes/:** I think the strangest part of this chapter was that I wrote it ***before*** I got off my ass and finally watched the Dino Thunder premier of S.P.D. When Ethan and Kira touch the Dino Gems in the meteor, and hear Zordon explaining to them how the Morphin Grid is a combination of past, present, and future? Yeah ...

This isn't the first time I've done something like that, and not everyone believes me, but it's still just a bit creepy when it happens.

*** Please see the end of Chapter 52 for more author's notes.**

Chapter 49:In the Grid

- _Jason -_

The world was Red.

He wasn't sure why; just that it was. Everywhere he looked, an endless sea of Red. If he squinted hard enough, he could see some sort of Red haze in the distance. He didn't know how he could tell the difference between the two Reds, just that he could.

"_Why are you here?_" a voice demanded.

He paused, unsure of what sort of answer to give. "For help," he declared at last.

"_A Red Ranger who asks for __***help***__?_" another repeated, sounding amused.

He frowned. "I've never said I have all the answers."

"_Answers and 'help' are two different things_," yet another voice told him. "_Which is it that __***you***__ want?_"

"I want to save Justin and Zordon," he returned firmly. This wasn't an answer he needed to think about. "I want to stop the Dark Rangers and protect - "

"_Protect what?_" put in a new voice. "_Earth? Your friends? The universe?_"

"I want to protect everything I can," he told them, feeling somewhat irritated.

"_You can't protect everything._" This voice seemed younger than the rest, and almost sad.

"I can try. I'll protect the things I can," he repeated.

"_And just what do you think you 'can' protect?_"

His eyes narrowed. "I won't know until I try."

"_And that's why you are here?_"

***Now*** he was irritated. "I'm here because I need someone to help me understand what I need to do. My friends need help, and I need a way to do it. I'm not going to abandon anyone just because I'm too ***scared*** to find the answers!"

"_A good response._" one of the voices mused.

Slowly, the distant red fog began to move toward him and solidified. Four people emerged from it, each one watching him. Somehow he knew there were more still behind them who hadn't left the haze, but only these four had come to speak to him directly. As he continued to study them, he noticed to his horror that he knew one of them: Andros. The second was a teenage girl whose facial features still seemed hidden in the mist. Then another that while he didn't recognize his face, he had the feeling that he knew him somehow.

The last figure was himself.

Jason stared as the other 'him' approached, unable to take his eye off the man before him. His alter ego was several years older, his face lined with winkles and his eyes darkened. Scars lined his arms, while one wrapped around his throat in a way that suggested how he may have come to this place.

Jason watched his older self smile suddenly, in a way that didn't reach his eyes. "_Relax. I'm not you. At least not yet. You still haven't reached my dimension._"

Jason started. "What?"

"_The three of us - _" Andros gestured to himself, the girl, and the other Jason, "_are from an alternate universe. A possibility. As things stand, your dimension hasn't become ours. Things won't happen for you the way they did for us. There's a chance it might, but you still have time to change it._"

"_That's why __***we***__ came to you, instead of some of the others_," the girl added. "_We know you on a more personal level, and we have more of a more personal interest in what's happening. For us it's not just about protecting the Light - it's about protecting __***you***__._"

His other self moved to wrap an arm around the girl. "_Most of us are gone_," he explained. "_We've already joined the Grid; that's why we're here. __***She's***__ different. She's in a meditative state in her dimension, because she __***insisted* **__on helping._" He gave the girl a stern look, but something about it was almost ... fatherly.

"_I have a greater stake in this than any of you_," she told him firmly. She turned to Jason, who suddenly found himself wishing he could see her face. "_You won't see who I am, because you don't know me yet. I'm here because if I can help you succeed - _" She broke off abruptly, making a slight choked noise as she pressed a fist against what he was assumed was her mouth.

The man he didn't know but felt like he should moved forward. "_I am here because I know you better than anyone that stands in the Grid, because I am part of what has made you yourself._"

Jason eyes went wide. He didn't know how or why, but the moment the man spoke his voice had clicked in his head. "You - you're - "

The man smiled. "_My name is Mathian. I am the original Red Dino Ranger, one of the protectors of Eltar. Eventually, my battle came to your planet, Earth. When I came to the Grid, Zordon passed on my Power Coin to you. I am the one who has been your first connection to the Power, until you were able to stand on your own._"

Jason gaped at him. There were no words for this. This man was ... a mentor, a friend, a brother. This man had guided him into becoming a true leader, had whispered knowledge he hadn't even realized wasn't his own. Without this man, he would never have lived through his first battle.

"_Why are you here, Jason?_" Mathian repeated softly.

The words came to him instantly. "Because I need a way to fight, so I can protect the things I love."

"_And what do you love?_" the girl asked.

"My team. My sister. My planet. All the friends I've met in space. I want to protect all of them."

"_You almost sound like __***her***_," chuckled his other self, looking down at the girl.

Mathian moved forward to clasp his arm, his smile as warm as ever. "_Then you shall have what you need. And Jason, above all, remember that I am __***proud***__ to call you my successor._"

Jason smiled back as tears welled in his eyes. He didn't bother to wipe them away. "Thank you. I wish I could find a way to make it seem like more but - "

"_You honor me every day you continue to fight_," Mathian interrupted, abruptly pulling him into a tight hug. "_And never doubt my pride in you._"

Jason swallowed as they separated. When he looked down, he noticed that the Red light was surrounding him, glowing softly. His skin tingled, and he felt warmth fill him. It was a comforting feeling, but somewhere under the surface it held the promise of burning strength.

The Red was beginning to fade around him.

Jason looked up, his eyes automatically going to his other self and the girl. "Please tell me - are you ... ?"

He could hear the smile in her voice. "_You already know who I am. Please keep fighting, so that we can meet some day._"

"I will!" Jason shouted, happiness swelling though him at the thought. The world of Red was almost gone now. "I ***will*** meet you!"

* * *

- _Kimberly_ -

Kimberly looked around the world of Pink curiously. It reminded her of when she'd searched for her spirit animal. She wondered if this was the same as before: would the Power come to her if she decided she wanted it?

"Please!" she called anxiously. "I ... I don't know what I'm looking for, but they said I might find a way to get stronger here! I want to be stronger!"

"_To protect yourself?_" asked a voice.

The response startled her. "Of course not! I want to be strong so I can protect others!"

"_And if you never get stronger?_" someone else asked. "_If you remain as you are?_"

Kimberly bit her lip. Did this mean they wouldn't give it to her? Was she ... was she not worthy enough?

"Then I'll fight anyway." she stated quietly.

"_But you hate battle_." The comment was almost lazy, as if the one who'd said it could care less. "_You'd rather protect the heart than using your own body._"

"Yes," she admitted honestly. "But I'll still fight. I won't give up when they need me."

A woman seemed to form out of a swirl of Pink, walking towards her. She had the same petite frame that Kimberly did, but was pale-skinned and blond. She had the warmest brown eyes she had ever seen, and she opened her arms wide with a loving smile.

Kimberly had bolted into the woman's arms almost before she had realized what she was doing. "It's ***you***!" she sobbed. "You're ***here***!"

"_My name is Lusan of Eltar_," the woman whispered, stroking her hair lovingly. "_And I am so very proud of you, Kimberly. You are everything I could have ever hoped for in the one to take my beloved Pterodactyl._"

"I always wondered ... " Kimberly murmured, sniffling. "What's her name? I tried to name her myself, but nothing seemed to fit."

"_Zephyra. It means 'wind'._"

Kimberly smiled brightly up at her. "I - For everything - " She paused, frowned, and instantly let the feelings in her heart loose, sending _Gratitude_ and _Love_ to the woman who had guided her for so many years.

"_There isn't much time_," Lusan told her, reaching down to take her hand and squeeze it. "_A crucial point of time is coming, when all will be changed. If we do not act, you will lose._"

"_You'll become me._"

Kimberly looked up, turning to find herself as an older woman. Her older self had hair that had been cropped short, and she radiated strength. At the same time, something about her seemed old and weary.

The older Kimberly smiled sadly. "_I have things I'll never regret. I became a leader, a warrior, someone to respect._" Her eyes seemed distant for a moment. _"I lost Tommy, but I had our son._"

"Son?" she gasped without meaning to. Her eyes had gone wide.

"_Yes. My baby boy._" For an instant, the warmth returned to her eyes before dimming once again. "_But I lost everything: my friends, my family, and the only man I ever loved. Eventually, I lost my life_." When she looked up, those eyes had begun to shine with tears. "_Please; don't ever let yourself become me. Get stronger, but don't lose. Keep fighting._"

"_And remember that we're all behind you_," added a new voice.

Kimberly turned and cried out in horror. "Cassie?"

The younger girl smiled gently. "_Keep fighting, Kim. We're always with you. As long as you keep fighting, everything will be okay._"

"I will," she whispered. "I won't lose!"

* * *

- _Tommy_ -

Countless names drifted to him through the world of Green. Medrick, Lime, Tommy, Adam, Carlos, Damon, Joel, Trip, Cam, Bridge, Xander, Master Phant, Ziggy, Skull, Zack, Miko, Dulcea, Niri, Hunter, 14984.5, Re-gat, Ri-tah, Jaq, Inga, Milos, Ovari, Iravo, Qero, Apple ... He was connected instantly to them all. He understood each of them; their differences, their strengths, their hopes and dreams. They were all intricately connected. They didn't share the same power sources, personalities, or even reasons for fighting. They had different homes, different ideals, different values.

But they were all ***Warriors***.

Some fought because they had been Chosen. Some to repent for their mistakes. Some to keep up the fight, some to continue the tradition they had become a part of. There were ones who wanted the Power, ones who didn't, ones who fought only because it was necessary. Others who fought because they had no choice - because someone had to continue to fight back, and some who fought because it was a part of them, part of who and what they were.

Some were strong, some were weak. Some showed physical strength, some mental, some strength of heart, some strength of character. Some were good, some were evil. Some were still fighting, some had retired, or sacrificed their Power for the greater good. Some fought before him, some with him, and some would follow in his footsteps.

Tommy knew them all.

The feeling this connection produced reminded him of the moment he'd finally settled things between his Powers, but on an infinitely greater scale. He had ***never*** felt this strong, never in his wildest dreams. Never felt this much at peace.

"_Why are you here?_" a familiar voice whispered.

"For Power," he said honestly. "To be strong enough to stop Justin, and bring him back to us."

"_Power isn't only the answer. Power can only be used in force._"

"That's not true," he insisted. "Power can also be used to heal. And with enough Power, I can fight to get to his side." He faltered for a moment. "It's the only way I know."

"_And you need the Power to do this?_"

"With it, I can fight to get to him so I can find out what I did wrong. So I can say that I'm sorry."

"_You don't need the Power for that. You just think you do_," someone else corrected.

Tommy gave a slight rueful smile. "True. I'd fight anyway, even if I didn't have it."

The familiar voice spoke again, sounding amused. "_Then it's good that you do._"

When he emerged from mist, Tommy was already moving towards him. They embraced as brothers, for they knew one another more intimately than anyone else would ever honestly be able to claim. After all, Tommy had become the man he was today because of the one he now held onto.

When Tommy lifted his head to look at him, he found that he already knew his face: worn and serious - the face of someone who'd forgotten how to laugh for far too long. Long dark hair, settling around his face and shoulders in smooth, shining silk. Even darker eyes, gazing back at him with open affection.

"_There is something I have always wished to say to you_," the man informed him, sadness seeping back into those dark eyes. "_There is no possible way to give you my apology - _"

Tommy shook his head emphatically. "No! It wasn't your fault!" he protested. The moment he had seen the man before him, he had realized who was. And Tommy knew that he could ***never*** blame him for anything. "That was ***Rita***, not you!"

The man shook his head as well. "_No. There is an even greater tragedy behind the two of us. Rita Repulsa was as much a victim as you yourself. She was once a true Green Ranger, who fought valiantly on the side of good. Master Vile is the true villain behind the story of the Green Power. He is the one who has caused us all to suffer._"

"Then I'll find him, and make him pay," Tommy vowed instantly. "I'll never let him hurt any of us again."

The man's expression softened again. "_Your first mission will always be to the side of Light, and those it protects. Your second will be for those who fight at your side. Do not fight to destroy Master Vile; that will only bring you down the path of the Dark Rangers._"

Tommy hesitated. "So, it's true? That they were all good once?"

"_Yes._" The man seemed pained. "_Every single one of them._"

Tommy bowed his head for a moment, memories of his own evil past flashing through his mind. As the Green Ranger, against the original five. As Red Zeo, believing that the other Zeo Rangers were out to destroy ***his*** Machine empire. The many spells of random monsters, forcing him to do and feel things against his will without even realizing it.

When his head came up again, Tommy's eyes shone with determination. "Then I will fight to bring each and every one of them back to us."

Pride returned to the man's eyes. "_And you will vow this in the name of the Power?_"

There was no hesitation. "I swear by the Power of the Grid, I will fight to return the Dark Rangers to the side of Light."

A hand gripped his arm tightly as he received a warm smile. "_I am called Medrick of Eltar. You will always have my support, Tommy._"

Tommy returned his smile as he could feel the flow of energy and Power soaking though him like an old friend. "Thank you, Medrick. Thank you, all of you. I ***will*** keep my promise."

"_Go with the blessings of those who walk beside you_," Medrick murmured as the Green around him began to fade. "_And our blessings on your sacred union. Give our regards to your beloved._"

* * *

- _Billy_ -

He could never possibly have fathomed what the Morphin Grid truthfully was.

There was more knowledge than he could ever comprehend. More strategies than he could ever plan. More mystical, magical, and scientific possibilities and connections than he could ever be able to study in full.

Ancient knowledge of the past. Petael, Ja-rah, Kolu, Staffen, Cobalt, all with their groundbreaking experiments combining magic and science. T.J., Cestro, Heryl, Iva, Vitri, Wezyra, Aryzew, Risu, Chrin, Nickolas, Aqua, Sa-lin, Talli, Ninjor, who fought beside him now in their various parts of the universe. And into the multi-verse, copies of people he knew, people he was, and people he may never meet: Billy, Rocky, Justin, T.J., Kai, Chad, Lucas, Tori, Blake, Ethan, Sky, Madison, Dax, Master Finn, Theo, Flynn. People who had yet to join him, who would grow to exceed him in technology and ingenuity - Bridge, Garrett ...

They were all connected in ways he would never understand. Ways that even with all that he'd learned from the Aquitian Rangers, he still could not comprehend. It was fascinating. Astounding. Terrifying. Remarkable. Wonderful.

"_And yet, even with this treasure trove of knowledge, we will never come to know it all_," a voice remarked.

He looked up, startled, as a man seemed to be coming toward him from out of nowhere. He was tall, taller than any of the other Earth Rangers. A burnt auburn shade of hair, pale blue eyes, and a light spread of freckles dusting his cheeks. His eyes seemed distant, as if even now he was contemplating some sort of scientific conundrum.

He blinked, then smiled abruptly at him. "_But you are here to access a greater knowledge: that of how to defeat the Dark Rangers._"

"And liberate my comrade, Justin Stewart of Earth," Billy added automatically.

The man's smile dimmed slightly. "_Alas, I must inform you that only one who shall free Justin Stewart of Earth, is Justin Stewart himself. No amount of technology, planning, or pleading will return him to himself. He has chosen this path mostly of his own accord. He must chose to diverge from it as well._"

A frown marred Billy's face. "Mostly? Are you implying that Justin ***wished*** to become evil?"

The man shook his head slowly with a sigh. "_There is an infinite number of ways to define the term 'evil', my friend. The boy of which you speak was convinced to choose this path by another. Your solution for his salvation lies not in destroying this 'other' of which I speak, but in convincing the boy himself to reform._"

Billy's frown darkened. "You speak in riddles."

"_I speak plainly_," the man corrected. "_It is simply that you do not currently possess the ability to comprehend my words._"

"Will I find understanding one day?"

The man smiled. "_You will happen upon the correct meaning in time._" He placed his hands on Billy's shoulders abruptly, patting them swiftly. "_Now however, you must answer me this: why are you here?_"

"To seek knowledge and Power, so that I might continue to fight against the Dark Rangers," Billy answered promptly.

"_And why must you fight?_"

He frowned again, confused. "I don't understand. I can't ... not. It is ... it is a part of my integral nature to fight for others. It has been so from the day my companions and I initially accepted the Dino Powers from Zordon."

To his surprise, the man chuckled. "_A good answer_," he assured him. He studied him for a moment, then smiled. "_Be at peace, William. You have found that which you sought, and more. You also receive my commendation for all that you have accomplished thus far, and the further assurance that should you be in need, you will always find me near your thoughts._"

He knew he should in all probability have been more attentive in his reception the Power, or the fact that he had commenced to shine with Blue radiance, which was - in general - a good sign. His mind however, had once again settled on one point. "I know you." He was decidedly firm and matter-of-fact as he said this. Logic had apparently escaped him for the moment; all he knew right now was that the man before him was a familiar acquaintance.

His eyesight was beginning to blur, but he thought the man's smile had widened considerably. "_You are correct. I am known as Petael of Eltar, once also called the Blue Dino Ranger. I passed that Power on to you._"

It was even more difficult to see now, but he found himself clasping one of Petael's hands tightly. "Then I owe you my thanks and admiration. You are - " He swallowed, unable to properly articulate his thoughts.

"_No._" Petael's voice was warm. "_It is I who owe you admiration, William. And have it you do._"

* * *

- _Tanya_ -

No one had really told her what to expect. She'd never dealt with the Morphin Grid except for a brief time on Phaedos. And even that was, well, brief. And slightly disappointing.

Everyone kept telling her that Purple was a 'unique' Color, that it was different from the others. That it was given to royalty and thieves. That Purple Rangers held their own code of honor.

Someone snorted behind her. "_They call us 'unique' because they do not know how to define us._"

She whirled to find a man in a purple ninja suit looking amused. He was tall but not overly so, with short dark hair and brown eyes that seemed to laugh at the world. "Who are you?" she demanded, feeling slightly unnerved. She raised her eyebrows at his outfit. "***What*** are you?"

"_Jual, Purple Ninjetti Ranger_," he returned with a smirk and slight bow. "_Which answers both your questions. And I am not a ninja. I am Ninjetti - there __***is***__ a difference._"

She blinked for a moment, slowly forcing herself to relax. "What did you mean?" she asked finally. "About not knowing how to define us?"

He ran a hand through his hair before tossing his head in a way that reminded her eerily of Litania. "_It is just as I said. Others do not understand what Purple truly __***is***__, so they call us 'unique'._"

"Then what are we?" she wondered.

His smirk widened. "*****_**We***__ are indefinable. You cannot generalize us the way they do for themselves. We are not all one thing. We are all sorts of things._"

She shot him an irritated look. "I feel like Alice in Wonderland talking to the Cheshire Cat. You're not making any sense."

His amusement increased. "_Try sensing us out then. See if you can figure it out for yourself._"

She eyed him for a moment before closing her eyes. After a moment, she tried to mentally reach for others like her, who felt the same way she did. Who wanted the same things she did.

She found nothing.

Her eyes snapped open. She frowned even as she worried silently what that might mean. "I don't sense anyone like me."

"_Ah-hah!_" he crowed, wagging a finger at her. "_That is because we are not!_"

She looked startled. "What?"

"_Purple is not the 'Unique' Color. It is the Color of Honor. Even more than that, it is for those who follow their __***own***__ honor._" He sighed at her confusion. "_What do you believe is right?_"

She frowned again. "You mean right and wrong?"

He rolled his eyes. "_Fine. Let me put it this way: what do you believe in?_"

She was silent for awhile. What did she believe in? "I believe in my friends," she said slowly. "I believe that we're strong together. I believe that I'm fighting to protect Earth, and that that's a worthy cause." She paused, eyebrows narrowing as her lips thinned. "I believe that Justin needs me, and that I'll do whatever it takes to get to him."

"*****_**Whatever***__ it takes?_" Jual asked suspiciously. "_Even if it means destroying others in the process?_"

She hesitated. "Only if there's no other way."

He smiled abruptly. "_And that is why you are Purple._"

She blinked again. "Huh?"

"_We are not as simple as the other Colors because Honor is not something as simple as Courage or Healing_," Jual explained. "_We each follow a personal code, what we believe is right for us. It may not be the same that others believe in, but it is ours, and we will fight with that Honor because it is what we do._" He grinned ruefully. "_It is also the reason why we usually cannot stand each other._"

She frowned slightly. "You mean that's why Litania and I don't get along?"

He nodded, smiling brightly as she understood. "_You do not follow the same Code of Honor. Her Code lies in doing whatever has to be done, even if it means doing something that she does not particularly like. Your Code is that you protect what you love, but you do not allow others to get hurt if you can find any other way to prevent it._

She nodded slowly. "Because I believe that the end result is just as important as what I have to do to get there."

"_And __***that***__ is why you are Purple_," he informed her with another smirk. He waved a hand around them. "_I am supposed to ask you something ridiculous about why you are here, but we already know that._"

"Because they said this would give me a way to get to Justin," she affirmed, looking serious.

"_Which is why it is time for you to leave_," he finished, the ever-present smirk widening. "_You have what you came for, so get lost._"

She scowled at him, even as she found herself somewhat amused by his directness. "Gladly. And get a better hobby."

"_Better than annoying those who come to the Purple section of the Grid? Never!_"

* * *

- _Trini_ -

She knew where she was the moment the Yellow glow surrounded her. She'd been here before, in a smaller, less direct way. Meditation had taken her inward, but it had also allowed her to find the connection she hadn't realized was still there. The connection she'd come to understand would never leave her. It was how she'd known that something was wrong long before Aisha, Tanya, and Ashley had come to get her, and how she'd known that she had to be prepared to leave quickly.

She knew everyone here. She reached out to touch them, letting them know that she was there, that they had her support as much as she had theirs. While she wasn't empathic the way Kimberly was, something about the Grid let her affection reach them all.

Nu-par and Oria, who had been betrayed by their own teammates, and now blamed themselves for not being able to save them from becoming Dark Rangers. Brianna and Sunshine, who had passed naturally into the Grid many years ago. She gave them her thanks for helping her grow as a Ranger, and for all that they continued to do for her now.

The ones in other dimensions that she would never meet. Herself, who had given up the Power and moved on to find her own future. Aisha, fierce and loyal as ever. Tanya, full of attitude and an inner strength few could match. Ashley, passionate and kind. Maya, peaceful and understanding. Kelsey, energetic and loving. Katie, strong in heart and body. Proud Taylor, who fought so aggressively to protect the things she loved. Dustin, cheerful and optimistic. Kira, creative and resourceful. Z, with all the passion of Ashley and fierce protectiveness of Aisha and Taylor. Chip, open-minded and always laughing. Ronnie, competitive and confident. Lily, love and enthusiasm personified. Summer, determination and sincerety.

Those closest to her, who shared the Power with her now. Ashley, Yasta, Corcus, Canta, Mihel, Das, Ashren, Luc, Lemon, Ha-lec, 14982.4, Calla. She felt a wave of fondness for each of them, even the ones she didn't know. She sent her reassurance to Ashley and Yasta, knowing they were watching and praying for her to be okay. Then another wave of love for poor Ashren, and the confidence that her brother would be all right.

The ones she still hadn't met fascinated her even as she sent on more affection for them, knowing they wouldn't understand, most likely weren't close enough to the Grid yet to even notice it. Another closer form of Maya, Marinda. Countless others, all destined to be part of the Grid.

She could even feel the fading connections of Aisha and Tanya, as they found themselves moving on to the places in the Grid they were supposed to be.

The wave of responses made her close her eyes, breathing in deeply as she accepted their strength, their confidence, their love. Yellow Rangers may not share the empathy that Pink did, but they were aware of each other in a way few other Colors were. They were solid, forming a base for other Colors to lean on. Their ability to reassure and comfort came from knowledge of exactly who and what they were. That they were connected to others who could help them with their pain. Some may understand more than others, but they all knew on some level that they were ***never*** alone.

"_I wonder if I even need ask why you are here_," a voice commented, sounding amused.

She looked up, startled. Even with all the times she'd been here, she was rarely spoken to directly. It was more of a common understanding of thought than actual words.

Even so, she already knew her answer.

"To reach them," she answered quietly, full of confidence again. "I can't leave Justin, or Spectra, or any of them the way they are. It's wrong. I have to help them find their way back." She found herself being hugged from behind and automatically leaned into the embrace with a warm smile and a sigh. "They need help, and I can't ignore that," she finished quietly.

A hand that wasn't quite solid reached up to brush her bangs from her face, followed by a kiss to her temple. Her skin tingled where she'd been touched; while he wasn't a ghost exactly, he wasn't alive in the way she was. A physical manifestation of the Grid in a way, but so much more than that. Her brother, her father, her friend. The man who had led her through being the Yellow Dino Ranger after she'd taken his place. He was so much more than could ever be put into words.

"_I am truly proud of you_," the man holding her whispered in her ear, giving a gentle squeeze. "_You fight for what must be done, and you do not falter. The battles ahead will be difficult. You will lose many things, and the end of the war will become hard to see._"

"Will we win in the end?" she asked softly.

He kissed her temple again. "_The only one who can answer that, is __***you***_."

She took a deep breath, centering herself for a moment. The warmth of his hug was heaven. It was ***her*** base, her place to find herself again. This was where she went when she needed to find her courage, and he was the one who met her here.

At last she slowly pulled away, turning to look him in the eyes.

He wasn't much taller than she was. Short, dark curls wrapped around his head, and warm brown eyes that gazed back at her with such understanding and love.

He was her salvation when everything else was gone.

"Thank you, Edrian," she murmured at last. "I love you."

His smile was just as comforting as his hug had been. "_And I you, Trini._" He squeezed her hand as the warmth of Yellow Power seeped into her. "_Be strong, Trini. Never forget us when you have need._"

"Never," she whispered back.

* * *

- _Kat_ -

It was quiet here.

Peaceful. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so relaxed and comfortable. The Power Cathedral had come close, but this was so much more.

"_Yes_," a woman's voice agreed. "_The Light of the Grid has always been a place of tranquility._"

She looked at the woman who moved towards her. She was tall, long-legged, and curvy, with dark blond hair that curved around her face and shoulders. Rather ordinary for what she'd been expecting, if not for the silver eyes watching her.

They caught hands as they considered one another quietly. She wasn't sure what the other woman was looking for, but she found herself fascinated by those cool silver eyes. A face that seemed almost cold, unlike Zhane's. Zhane, who laughed and played, cheerfully declaring himself a carrier of the Light.

"_There are few of us who may come to this place_," the woman told her at last, her expression unreadable. "_Those who hold the Light are few and far between._"

"Why?" she couldn't help asking.

"_Because the Light is so much more than a simple Color. We are the ones who hold faith that all will end well when others cannot see past the battles before them. We see the Light through Darkness, the inner goodness of each soul. We have been called innocent and pure simply because we believe that the Light side of the Grid truly is in everything, and never forget that fact._" She continued to study her. "_It is rare to find one that can hold on to our level of dedication._"

"And you think I do?"

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "_It does not matter if I believe you possess the Light. Do __***you***__ believe that you hold the Light?_"

Kat was silent for a long time. It was true that so many times things had gone wrong for them. So many battles they'd lost, so many friends that had come and gone from her life. She wasn't always confident - that was why Zack had reassured her at The Academy, why it had taken her spirit animal to show her that she hadn't failed to protect herself. But did the Light mean you had to be confident? Or did it mean something else?

She thought immediately of Zhane. He was the only Silver she knew, and the only one she had to compare herself against. Zhane was always smiling and teasing, forcing his teammates to smile with him. Even when he'd told them about his family, the former Ast-Kerova Rangers and what had happened to them, he had still been smiling. Whenever things seemed bad, Zhane was still smiling, laughing, and teasing.

She wasn't Zhane; she knew that. She couldn't be like him, either. But she still understood him, understood what he was doing. And while she couldn't keep smiling when things were bad the way he did, she could comfort her friends and tell them that it would be all right.

Her words to Tanya came back suddenly.

- _"They'll be okay. Everyone will be okay. They have to be."_

_"How can you be sure? We've never ... It's never been this bad before."_

_"Yes, it has. But it's always been okay in the end. And we have to believe that it will be okay again. I'll believe that. And I'll keep believing it until you can, too." -_

When she looked up, she was full of calm confidence. "Yes. I do believe in the Light."

The woman's face softened slightly. "_And will you continue to believe when your friends fall around you, when you find yourself losing the War?_"

"Yes." Her chin quivered slightly, but she kept her eyes on the other woman's. "I'll keep believing that everything will be okay."

And suddenly the woman was hugging her. "_You walk a difficult path, Katherine Marie_," she murmured. "_There is pain and fear and loss before you. You must take the hardest position of all; you must continue to believe when all is lost. Never forget that you are the one who will guide others to stand strong. Never lose sight of that, and never lose sight of the Light._"

"I won't," she promised, tears welling in her eyes. "I promise."

The woman pulled back to gently wipe her eyes, and now she smiled. Just a small, barely there smile, but it was still somehow comforting. "_My name is Avendra of Eltar. I am the sister of Zordon of Eltar. I once stood in your place. And I pray every day that you will never stand in mine._"

"Thank you," she told her softly. Something Chrin had said when they met came to mind, and she smiled tentatively. "And please, call me Katherine."

Avendra's hand cupped her cheek with an understanding look. "_Then you must call me by my family name as well. I am Avara. Be strong, Katherine. And remember that I am __***always***__ with you._"

She was suddenly aware of Zhane in a way that she had never been before. She felt him watching her, felt other variations of him that existed in other places. She felt a young man from another dimension who suffered, struggling to find his place with the family he had been told abandoned him to demons. Another trying to find a home after loosing everything. And she felt the kindest, sweetest soul she'd ever known, filled with longing and loneliness for the one who'd been taken from her.

And she felt each of them abruptly aware of ***her* **as she fell from the warm, peaceful Light and back into the world.

* * *

- _Zack_ -

The Morphin Grid, Zack decided, was ***noisy***.

There was more music than he would ever be able to identify - vocal ***and* **instrumental, words being whispered and shouted, images of so many types and colors flashing around him. It was complete and utter chaos, and yet at the same time, it had melded together. The rhythmic drumming blended perfectly with an intricate, melodic guitar piece, along with the poetry being shouted and the blinding image of a scenic painting.

It was chaos, but it was combined chaos.

He paid attention to all of it, reveled in the music and listened to the poetry and stories. He admired all of the artwork, even the styles that made no sense to him. It was still chaos, but it was ***his*** chaos, a part of him as much as the Rhythm of Life.

It ***was*** the Rhythm of Life.

He laughed with other versions of himself, admired the songs of Aurora and Siren even though he doubted they would ever meet, listened to poetry from Cril, his Adam, and other Adams. He enjoyed stories by Obsidian, Carlos, Tommy, and Will. He admired the artwork of Brawda, Corcus, Vengi, and Danny.

They all enjoyed the Rhythm with him, and he laughed and loved life with all of them. They were brothers, sisters, partners, family. This was where he knew he could be understood when his friends never would.

When the man he had been waiting for appeared beside him, he turned with a broad grin and hugged him enthusiastically. "Yo! Good to see you!" he said cheerfully.

The man laughed and gripped him in return. "_I would ask why you are here, but I am certain that you already know._"

He nodded, his grin never fading. "I'm here to protect ***this***." He gestured wide at the Blackness surrounding them, at the music and words and images and laughter. "I'm here so I can protect the Rhythm of Life. So even people who can't hear it won't lose it."

"_And protect it you shall_," the man agreed, hugging him again. "_While there are never enough of us who understand this, you will have our help in all that you need. We are always with you._"

"And you?" Zack couldn't resist asking, even though he already knew the answer.

He was lightly cuffed upside the head. "_You know better than to ask me that, Zackary Taylor._" His voice scolded, but his eyes laughed with him. "*****_**I***__ am always with you._"

"So how come I can't get you to tell me your name?" Zack challenged.

"_It is Davas of Eltar, impetuous youth_," the man mock-growled, gently hitting him once again. "_Now go, or you will never leave at all!_"

"You'd keep me here?" Zack asked with another grin, even as the Black began to lighten and the man started to fade from sight.

"_More of the fact that you would never *want* to leave._"

Zack laughed again as the world went light. "True!"

* * *

- _Aisha_ -

The Morphin Grid was surprisingly empty for what they'd said it was. She looked around in confusion. They'd called it a power source, and energy, and all that. But if it was so powerful, why was she the only one here?

"_That's what __***I'd***__ like to know_," a voice snapped irritably.

She turned to find a woman before her who looked incredibly annoyed. Tanned skin, dark eyes, and corn-rowed black hair pulled into a higher version of the same ponytail she herself wore, only with hair that ended somewhere around the middle of her back. Her expression however, was downright hostile.

"_I'm __***not***__ some blasted hero!_" she snarled at her, seeming almost glad to have an audience. "_I only fought because I'm not stupid enough to allow someone to manipulate the Inter-galactic Web for their own delusions of grandeur. I only __***found***__ the stupid place because of a blasted crash landing! It wasn't some heroic tale, and I don't __***want***__ to be some sort of holy virgin!_"

She could only stare. Whatever illusions she'd had about the Morphin Grid were slowly dissolving around her. She'd never known much about the Orange Ranger beyond what Pahla had told them, but she realized abruptly that for the first time, Pahla had been absolutely and completely wrong.

The woman whirled on her, eyes narrowed furiously. "_You're going to fight._" she practically growled. "_You're going to fight under __***my***__ Color, with __***my***__ weapon, and you're going to teach those ... those ... __***fools***__ that the Color Orange isn't any more bloody sacred than __***I***__ am!_"

"You ... you don't ... ***want*** to be a hero?" Aisha asked tentatively, feeling incredibly confused.

The woman humphed angrily, settling her hands on her hips. "_Do you even know who I __***actually***__ am, girl? I am Asalee of Vayrisala, rogue pilot and mechanic. I steal what I need, take what I want, and I don't give a jet engine's rotary dust who likes it or not!_" She began to pace, gesturing for emphasis as she ranted. "_I'm __***no one's***__ hero! I never wanted this blasted ... __***holy***__ sanctuary. I'd rather be strung up by my ankles in the place that I __***thought***__ I was going to than this dull neighborhood!_"

"I'm sorry," Aisha offered, unsure what else to do.

Asalee turned, glaring at her again. "_You're going to fix it._" she said flatly. "_You're going to take it all, and go out there and show them that Orange was never some bloody exclusive Color! You're going to be the best Orange Ranger there's ever been, or be destroyed trying!_"

"Isn't there supposed to be some sort of quest or something?" Aisha asked worriedly, instinctively taking a step back.

Asalee snorted. "_Those stupid 'quests' are just a formality. If you weren't worthy, you wouldn't have made it to the Grid at all. I'm not going to waste anyone's time with blasted questions to see if you're 'worthy'. I was worthy, and look where that landed me!_" She gave another furious gesture outward.

"But - "

"_Take the Power and __***like***__ it, because I won't take it back, do you hear me? I won't, and no one can make me!_"

And everything was gone before she could say any more.

* * *

- _Adam_ -

He curiously considered the man sitting cross-legged on the ground in front of him with eyes closed. Everything around him looked like he'd walked into an old-fashioned photography studio, but somehow he could still tell that the man had tousled blond hair and dark skin, reminding him a little of Litania. The man hadn't moved since he'd arrived, and he was hesitant to interrupt his meditation.

"_I'm not meditating_," the man said suddenly, his eyes still closed. "_I'm ignoring you._"

He stared at him. That wasn't the sort of response he'd been expecting. "You're - "

"_Ignoring you, yes._"

There was a long pause.

"Can I ask why?"

"_Because the moment I acknowledge your existence and get myself involved, something bad will happen. It always does. So this isn't happening._"

Adam's brow furrowed. This wasn't exactly part of the plan. "Anything I can do to change your mind?" he asked finally.

"_Nope._"

Adam continued to stare at him. Memories of his Zeo Quest flashed through his mind.

"_And no amount of staring at me is going to convince me change it, so you might as well just leave already._"

Adam blinked for a moment, then glared. "No."

This time he managed to get raised eyebrows, though the man's eyes still remained closed. "_No?_"

"First of all, you're already talking to me, which means that you're ***not*** ignoring me, you're just pretending to. And second, I don't know what your problem is, but I have a friend who needs me and people being attacked everywhere that need my help. If you're not going to help, then at least tell me who *will*!"

"_And what makes you think that they need __***you***__? How do you know you're not just getting mixed up in things you shouldn't have any part of because you've been cursed?_"

"I don't care if it's really supposed to be me or not," Adam snapped at him, fists beginning to clench. "But people need help, and my friend is suffering. I'm ***going*** to help, whatever it takes for me to find it. The ***least*** you can do is point me in the direction of someone who ***does*** care!"

One of the man's eyes cracked open at last, revealing them to be a dark brown that was nearly black. "_And what makes you think __***I***__ don't care?_"

"Because if you cared, you wouldn't be trying to pretend it wasn't happening," he growled back. "People who care don't stand around letting things happen around them. They ***help***. They ***fight***, or whatever it takes. They get ***involved***."

"_And you are?_"

Adam looked incredulous, wondering if the man had listened to him at all. "One of my best friends - practically my little brother - thinks I abandoned him and is now running around attacking people. Of ***course*** I'm involved!"

"_For the friend, or the people?_" the man countered, considering him carefully.

"Does it matter?" Adam returned. As the man kept looking at him, he sighed, his sudden flare of temper fading. "I don't know." he admitted at last. "As a Power Ranger, my duty is to protect the people first. But ... as a friend ... as a ***teammate*** ... " He trailed off uncertainly.

The man stood suddenly, dusting himself off. "_You're not like the rest of them, you know._" he said abruptly. "_You don't have to pick one. They've all started this whole 'for the greater good' business that makes you feel guilty for valuing one life over others. But you've taken after me. And I chose __***her***__._"

"Her?" Adam echoed uncertainly. The man was taller than he was, he realized.

The stranger nodded, letting out a sigh that was both exasperation and fondness. "_Asalee. The rudest, crudest woman I've ever had the misfortune to meet._" He eyed him. "_They've told you that load of rocks about the 'Rangers of Syrina', or whatever it is they're calling us now, right?_"

Adam nodded slowly.

The man huffed irritably. "_The real story is that we hit a wormhole while trying to run from an attack after getting bad information. We crash landed on this dustball of a planet and spent a week screaming at one another over whose fault it was. We couldn't stand each other, you see - put us in a room for a few minutes and we start bickering instantly_," he added, looking exasperated again. "_Some idiot managed to find the same wormhole and realized that the planet we were on was the center of the intergalactic web. I don't remember his name, but he apparently thought we were protecting it for some reason._"

"And you weren't?"

The man snorted. "_Of course not. We just wanted a way __***out***__ of the blasted place! But when he attacked us, we defended ourselves._" He hesitated. "_Asalee ... She'll never admit it, rotten proud beast of a woman, but she went down first. When he went in for the final blow - _" He broke off, shifting uncomfortably for a moment. "_I wasn't protecting the planet when they gave us the Power. I only did it because I couldn't imagine not having her beside me, screaming at me because she couldn't find her way out of a blasted spaceport._"

He looked at him for a long moment. "So you were protecting ***her***, not the planet."

The man nodded. "_No matter what they make up about it, that's the truth._" He clapped his shoulder suddenly, and their eyes met. "_Fight for what __***you***__ believe in protecting, not for what someone else tells you is right. If you value your brother over protecting others, fight for your brother. If you want both, do both. No one can tell you what is right - only you can decide that for yourself._"

He smiled slowly. "Thank you, Sir."

The man made a face. "_Toriel. __***Never***__ call me sir. Makes me feel old._"

His smile widened. "Thank you, Toriel."

Toriel patted his shoulder again. "_Fight for what you believe in, boy. Nothing else. And be strong. Because you're sure as space is infinite going to need it._"

* * *

- _Rocky_ -

He looked around, blinking rapidly at the endless White around him. "Feels like I'm stuck in a blizzard," he murmured.

"_Truly?_" came a soft, melodic voice. "_Is that how you see this sacred place?_"

He turned to find a woman walking toward him, a gown of white silk billowing around her. He frowned as T.J.'s descriptions came to mind. "Are you ... Dimitria?"

While he couldn't see her mouth behind the veil, her eyes seemed to smile. "It is unfortunate we have never before had the opportunity to meet, is it not?"

Dressed all in white and talking in questions ... Yeah, this ***had*** to be Dimitria.

"_Will you answer me quickly, as my time here is short?_"

He blinked. "Um ... sure."

He got the impression of another smile. "_Why have you come to the Grid, Rocky? Are you able to answer me this?_"

"To save Justin," he answered firmly. "Because I promised I'd always be there for him, and I wasn't when he needed me. I can't make it up, but I'm still going to be there now."

"_And you believe honestly in your answer?_" she mused.

"Of course I do." He scowled, even as a part of him realized she wasn't actually questioning him - it was just the way she spoke.

Dimitria inclined her head. "_I believe it would be agreed this is a satisfactory answer?_"

He started as the White started to swirl around him, then watched wonderingly as it sunk into his skin, making him glow with white energy. After a moment he looked up again. "Where are you?" he asked bluntly. "Why haven't we heard anything about where you are no matter how hard the Astro Rangers have been looking?"

He couldn't make out the expression in her eyes now, but her chin dropped slightly and her voice seemed pained. "_Would you believe that even a Power Mentor can make a mistake? That even we are forced to make decisions that will suffer great consequences?_"

"I don't get it. What does that mean?"

"_Would you believe it true that Justin's fate is a result of my own decision to leave, knowing what would happen? That I made the decision to follow Zordon, even though it may be futile, because I am the only one who can?_"

His eyes widened in horror. "You knew Justin would turn? And you left anyway?"

"_Can you not see that I had no choice?_" Her voice was slightly pleading. "_How many have you heard have the ability to touch an Inter-Dimensional Cylinder? Was Zordon's fate not important as well? Do you not think I was forced to consider all possibilities, as only one who Sees can?_"

"Wait a minute." He shook his head, struggling to get the sudden surge of emotion under control. "Are ***you*** the Visionary?"

To his surprise, she actually looked away from him. "_Will you believe that you may soon discover that one with the ability to See must consider all possibilities, no matter our own personal desires? That you may understand when we are forced to decide between those we love and care for? When we must choose the impossible road, simply because it must be done?_" She looked up again suddenly, and the white around her seemed to brighten. "_Will you listen carefully to my warning, Rocky?_"

The white flared and started to pulse. And as he watched in amazement, her eyes began to glow.

"_I am in a place similar to Zordon's, but not by his side. Zordon nears Dark Spectre's hold, and his last barrier will soon be breeched. Justin will fall further into the Darkness, and Vengeance will begin to take hold of him. As the Rangers of Dark lose the fight, so will the Rangers of Light begin to lose the war._

_But all is not lost. You must continue to fight even when all hope is gone. For as long as there are Rangers who fight for the Light, the war is not over._

_Gather your allies. Find those who seek to save the Dark Rangers from themselves, and those who protect what is sacred. Go to the child that Sees without seeing; she is the key that will unlock the source of your strength. The Power will live within you as it has never before._

_Remember this: Vengeance is not what it seems. Look beyond the surface for your true enemy._"

She blinked abruptly, and the glow was gone.

"What ... what was that?" he demanded.

Shaking her head slightly, she gave a soft, weak chuckle. "_You believed that prophecies came in questions?_"

"You've gotta be kidding me!" he groaned. "Another prophecy?"

Then she began to flicker, and the world around him started to gray.

"_Will you remember my words, Rocky?_" she asked, sounding anxious. "_Will you tell the Rangers not to seek out Zordon or myself, until their tasks to stop the Dark Rangers are finished?_"

"I - if that's what you want, but - "

"_Will you give my love to my children, and fight fiercely for Zordon's youngest as I cannot?_"

And then she was gone, and the white world turned abruptly grey.


	50. Reflections and Revelations

Chapter 50:Reflections and Revelations

The other Rangers couldn't tell how long they stood there, watching the group standing in the Power Spring. Colored mists swirled around each of them, making it difficult to tell what was happening. The mists had come up just after their eyes glazed the moment they'd each stepped down into the Spring. The effect was eerie.

No one spoke as they watched.

T.J. and Litania eventually joined them, following after Fuchsia and Crimson. Litania kept scowling at the pool. Every once in awhile she would humph quietly, snapping her head to the side as though she refused to look at them any longer, only to have her gaze slowly drift back to watching a few minutes later. T.J. just wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight again his chest as he smiled faintly.

After what seemed like hours, the mists receded, and everyone's eyes were clear as they looked around themselves.

Kimberly was openly crying. Jason and Kat were teary, but hadn't spilled over just yet; both were smiling. Tommy, Trini, and Adam all seemed contemplative, though Tommy also looked to be determined about something, while Trini had a peaceful, relaxed feeling about her and Adam just seemed to be amused. Tanya was also amused, but it was mixed with an irritated expression. Billy stared at nothing in particular, completely awestruck by what he'd seen. Aisha now stood completely on her own, all injuries gone as she looked confused. Zack was snickering. And Rocky was frowning, worry in his eyes.

Then Kimberly gave a cry, and the moment was broken. She ran straight into Cassie's arms, stumbling as she pulled herself out of the Spring. Then she threw her arms around the younger girl, sobbing and holding her tight as Cassie tried to comfort her, completely bewildered.

Everyone moved to help them out, offering hands and making sure they weren't hurt. There was a few moments of awkwardness as the group who'd been in the Spring seemed to be a bit disoriented. T.J. grinned when Litania went straight to Tanya, pulling her to her feet and demanding to know if she was all right.

Tanya blinked at her for a moment, then suddenly reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "You know that you're my friend, right?" she asked abruptly. "Even though I don't like the way you do things, we're still friends."

Litania looked at her. After a moment she smiled, eyes sparkling mischievously. "And you're a _saesha_."

Tanya grinned, slugging her lightly in the shoulder. "Brat."

"_Pacu_."

"Jerk."

"What happened to you guys?" Carlos interrupted, talking over the two girls as he looked at Zack and Adam with a worried frown.

"No more questions," Rocky interrupted, rubbing his head as he glared at Carlos. "Please, if you guys love me, never ***ever*** use another question again. My head hurts."

T.J. looked at him, startled. "Questions?"

He ducked as Rocky moved to punch him.

Zack grinned. "That was one of the coolest things I have ***ever*** seen," he boasted.

"It was weird," Adam corrected.

"Scary," Kimberly whispered, squeezing Cassie again.

"All who enter the Grid see it differently," Crystal spoke up, watching them all with one of her considering expressions. "It is a very personal experience." She straightened abruptly. "Come. We will rest tonight; you have all gone through a great trial. Tomorrow we will discuss the steps still to be taken." She turned to the crack in the cave wall, squeezing through once again without bothering to make sure anyone else was coming.

The rest of the group exchanged bemused glances before following after her.

* * *

"So," Zack's voice rang out through the large, dark room. "Who else can't sleep?"

"Don't ***do*** that, Zack!" Kimberly scolded sharply. "You scared me half to death!"

The Bavari had offered them several rooms to sleep in, but everyone mutually agreed to share a single. While no one wanted to admit it, after the events of the past few days they all felt more comfortable being close to one other. Even so, settling in for the night had prompted several jokes: the bedrolls everywhere looked like a giant slumber party.

"Sorry, Kim," Zack apologized. "But I can't stop remembering what it was like."

"Was it that strange for you?" Trini sounded curious. "I've always loved going to the Grid."

"What?" rang out several voices at once.

"Can anyone find the lights in this place?" Tommy grumbled.

"The Bavari don't use lights," Andros answered. "They go to bed when the glow rocks go out." Something rustled. "Give me a moment."

Light abruptly shot up from the center of the room.

"Ow!"

"Warning, please?"

"Sorry," Andros apologized, looking somewhat sheepish.

"What is that?" Kat asked curiously, leaning toward the tiny flat disk on the floor producing the sudden light.

"Light Disk," he answered. "All Megaship uniforms come with them attached to the belt buckle in case of emergency." He paused, hastily adding "But they're very bright, so one should be plenty."

T.J. shot him an amused look. "We're Earthlings, Andros. We may be a little out of touch with common galactic knowledge, but we're not stupid."

"That wasn't what I - "

"Does anybody know where Zhane went?" Ashley interrupted, frowning at the empty bedroll next to her.

"He slipped out a while ago," Litania commented absently. "Probably to see Lavender."

"What did you mean, Trini?" Adam asked, bringing everyone's attention back the Yellow Dino Ranger.

She blinked at him. "I've been meditating to the Grid for years. I always thought it was relaxing."

"Years?" Jason stared at her incredulously.

She nodded. "Since we first left the team. After we gave up the Power I felt out of sync, so I tried mediating - that's how I knew what my Spirit Animal was. I had a really bad week, and I was trying to remember what it was like to be connected to the Power. Somehow, I found my link to the Grid. I mediate there whenever I feel unbalanced."

"Why?" Kimberly asked after a moment.

Trini smiled. "Because Edrian is there. He always helps me calm down."

Carlos looked confused. "Edrian?"

"The first Yellow Dino Ranger," she answered. "He had the Power Coin before I did. After Zordon gave it to me, we became connected. Once I found the Grid, I was able to meet him in person. He ... " Her smile widened. "It's hard to explain. He's not a friend; he's more than that. A mentor, maybe - but not the way that Zordon is. He's like my brother, but it's so much more, too." She glanced over at her boyfriend, taking his hand and squeezing it. "It's not the way I feel about Billy or the team, but it's a very strong connection."

"I met Lusan," Kimberly said suddenly. Her voice was soft as she leaned on Tommy. "She was the Pink Dino Ranger before me. She's ... I know what you mean. I can't put it into words. I love her, but it's not that simple." She shrugged after a moment, her eyes darkening. "I saw ***me***, too."

"You?" Tommy frowned down at her.

She nodded. "She said she was from a future dimension - what would happen if we fail." She shivered suddenly. "She said she was a warrior, and that she lost everything." She hesitated, glancing up at Tommy. "She had our son. But then she ... "

Tommy squeezed her tightly, too stunned at the thought to respond.

"Cassie was there, too," she added after a moment, her eyes drifting over to the younger girl. "She told me to keep fighting, and everything would be okay."

"That's what happened to me," Jason spoke up, watching Kimberly. "I met myself from some future dimension. Andros was there, too."

The Red Astro Ranger started, but didn't interrupt.

"So was Mathian, the Red Dino Ranger from Eltar." He paused, glancing at Pahla, who was listening to him quietly. "And ... I think I met my daughter."

"What?" Ashley asked, leaning closer to him.

Tanya raised her eyebrows. "Seriously?"

He nodded slowly. "She said she had the greatest stake in making sure I won. And then she told me to keep fighting, so we could meet."

"The caution to keep fighting seems to be a recurring theme during the visions we have each seen during our time in the Grid," Billy murmured, frowning. "That does not bode well."

"Is that what yours said?" T.J. asked, frowning as well.

Billy looked up, blinking. "Great Seas, no. I found myself greeted by Petael of Eltar, my predecessor as the Blue Dino Ranger. He informed me that despite the virtual cornucopia of knowledge to delve into in the Blue partition of the Grid, the individual who has the capacity to release Justin from his current state is in fact, Justin himself." He frowned. "He also spoke of infinite variations to define evil, and gave the implication that Justin's turning, as it were, was in actuality generated by exterior stimulus. In addition, he stated the solution to this dilemma lies in persuasion of reform." He paused, then chuckled slightly. "I accused him of speaking in riddles, only to be told I am currently unable to process his wording."

Trini looked at him speculatively, frowning in concern as she automatically answered the blank stares she was getting. "The former Blue Dino Ranger told him that the information in the Grid won't save Justin; Justin has to decide he wants to stop. He also hinted that Justin didn't become Zeus because he wanted to, and we have to convince him to change back." She grinned slightly at her boyfriend. "And when Billy tried to tell him he didn't understand, he told him he wouldn't get it yet."

"Now ***there's*** something you don't hear every day," Zack mused. "Someone telling ***Billy*** he doesn't get it."

Billy blushed hotly.

"What about you, Zack?" Trini countered. "What did you see?"

"It was great," he returned instantly, grinning. "It was like the ultimate party. All these people who love art and music, just having a good time. I met a bunch of people; had a dance contest with myself from an alternate dimension. Met a bunch of other guys. A few Adams. Tommy, oddly enough." He cocked an eyebrow at his friend. "The other you was a lot older, though. Had a bunch of great stories about paleontology. Apparently he was a doctor/science teacher at some high school." He snickered suddenly. "He was even mentoring his own new Ranger team."

"I ran into one of you, too," Tommy retorted, refusing to rise to the barb. "He was a Ninjetti." An odd look came over his face. "So was Skull."

"Skull?" Kimberly and Zack demanded in unison.

He nodded, starting to frown again. "Then Medrick came - he's the original Green Dino Ranger. We debated whether I actually need the Power for what I want to do or not." His expression darkened further. "He said Rita Repulsa is under the same spell I was."

Everyone stared at him, stunned.

"But ... but Rita ... " Kat stammered.

"He said it was because of Master Vile," Tommy continued, still frowning at the floor. "He said all of the Dark Rangers used to be good."

" ... but that doesn't make any sense," T.J. said hesitantly, glancing at Andros. "What about Astronema? She was never good."

Ashley's eyes widened. "Unless it's really true," she breathed. "The only way Astronema could fit was if she really is ... " She looked at Andros in alarm.

Andros had gone very still.

"Unless she's what?" Rocky asked, looking back and forth between the Astro Rangers. All of them looked shell-shocked.

Andros swallowed, closing his eyes for a moment. "Unless Astronema really is my sister," he answered quietly.

"Your ***sister***?" Aisha gasped.

He nodded slowly. "Karone was kidnapped when we were young. Just before the Dark Rangers began gathering, I found out Astronema is wearing Karone's locket. When I tried to confront her about it, she attacked me and ran."

"Oh, Andros ... " Kimberly whispered, staring at him in horror.

He shook his head abruptly. "There's no way to know for sure yet." He looked away, his expression closed off.

There was a long pause as everyone searched for something else to say.

Tommy glanced at Kimberly abruptly, forcing a smirk to his face. "Medrick also gave us his blessing, and said to give you his regards."

She smiled back, shaking her head. "You'll have to thank him for me the next time you see him," she told him, trying to sound cheerful. She looked around, her eyes abruptly settling on Tanya. "What did you see Tanya?" she asked brightly.

Tanya smiled slightly. "Jual told me that I'm a Purple Ranger who'll do what it takes to win, but I have limits," she commented. She grinned at the looks she was getting. "Purple Rangers have their own code of honor, and mine is to do what's right because that's what I believe in."

"Here, here," Litania murmured, reaching out to slap the tips of their fingers together. "_Baarah_."

"Hag," Tanya returned, still grinning. "What about you, Adam?"

He blinked. "Um ... I met Toriel." He paused, trying to find a way to sum up his bizarre trip to the Grid. "He tried to ignore me at first. Apparently he'd decided that anytime he gets himself involved in something, something bad happens."

There was a round of soft, appreciative laughter from the rest of the group.

Adam smiled faintly, then looked thoughtful. "He told me about how he really became a Ranger. He said he wasn't protecting the planet, he was protecting Asalee. They couldn't stand each other, but he couldn't imagine losing her." He glanced around the room at his friends. "He said to fight for what you believe in protecting, not what someone else tells you is right. That no one can tell you what that is but you."

" ... I saw Dimitria."

Everyone looked at Rocky in surprise. "Are you sure?" T.J. demanded, leaning closer.

Rocky shrugged. "How many people do you know that dress in white and talk in questions?"

"What did she say?" Ashley asked anxiously.

"Is she alright?" Cassie wanted to know.

Carlos frowned worriedly. "Where is she?"

Rocky held up a hand. "Whoa, wait. Gimme a minute."

All four fell silent, watching him intently.

He took a deep breath, staring at the ground as he thought for a moment. "She said ... when she went to find Zordon, she knew what was going to happen to Justin. But she went after Zordon, because she was the only one who could - something about how many can touch an Inter-Dimensional Cylinder. Then she gave me another prophecy, and said to give her love to her children and fight for Zordon's youngest because she couldn't."

"Her children?" Kat looked puzzled.

"Us," T.J. spoke up, gesturing vaguely to Cassie, Ashley, and Carlos. "When I saw her in my vision on Phaedos, she called us her children."

Ashley bit her lip, looking away as tears welled in her eyes. Cassie reached out to grip her hand. Carlos clenched a fist, but said nothing.

"What was the prophecy?" Trini asked softly.

Rocky closed his eyes, taking another breath as he recited. "'_I am in a place similar to Zordon's, but not by his side. Zordon nears Dark Spectre's hold, and his last barrier will soon be breeched. Justin will fall further into the Darkness, and Vengeance will begin to take him. As the Rangers of Dark lose the fight, so will the Rangers of Light begin to lose the war._

_"But all is not lost. You must continue to fight even when all hope is gone. For as long as there are Rangers who fight for the Light, the war is not over._

_"Gather your allies. Find those who seek to save the Dark Rangers from themselves, and those who protect what is sacred. Go to the child that Sees without seeing; she is the key that will unlock the source of your strength. The Power will live within you as it has never before._

_"Remember this: Vengeance is not what it seems. Look beyond the surface for your true enemy.'_"

Everyone stared.

"The child that Sees without seeing," Pahla whispered to herself, staring blankly into the distance.

"Great," Zack grumbled. "More prophecies we don't understand. Why can't anyone just give us a straight answer anymore?"

Tommy humphed. "Be glad you haven't worked with Dimitria yet," he muttered darkly.

"'_A place similar to Zordon's, but not by his side_,'" Adam repeated. He frowned. "Does that mean she's been caught by the Alliance of Evil, too?"

"And Zordon is being taken to Dark Specter," Cassie agreed, looking worried. "But what's his last barrier?"

"His plasma tube?" Aisha guessed.

Tanya looked puzzled. "What are the Dark Rangers fighting? They're supposed to be fighting us, but how are we losing the war if they're losing the fight?"

"Gather our allies," Jason mused. "Our allies want to save the Dark Rangers from themselves?"

"The other keys," Kat told him. "They're Soul Bonded to Light Rangers, remember? Who else would want that?"

"How is Vengeance not what it seems?" Carlos demanded. "It kidnapped Justin and helped him torture all of us. What else would it be?"

Tommy cleared his throat. "Guys."

A few people glanced at him, but most were too busy thinking.

"As much as I hate to say it, we should probably ask the Bavari in the morning. They're better at solving all this prophecy stuff than we are."

Billy smiled faintly. "True. They have had considerable more success than ourselves."

There was a long silence.

"Do you think...Do you think we'll be able to stop that alternate future?" Kimberly whispered suddenly.

Everyone froze.

"Not happening."

Rocky looked at Aisha uncomfortably. "Aisha - "

"Never," she insisted fiercely. "We'll never let it happen. You know what I saw? I met Asalee; the Orange Ranger. She told me that she was never a hero. She just did what needed to be done, and she was only there by accident. She told me if I wasn't worthy I never would have made it to the Grid at all. And she told me to be the best darn Orange Ranger there's ever been. I'm not going to let her down. I ***won't*** let anything like that happen. So that dimension ***isn't*** going to happen, no matter what."

"Kat?" Cassie ventured. "What did you see?"

She blinked, having been lost in thought as she listened to what everyone else had seen. After a moment, she smiled mischievously. "I met Zordon's sister."

"What?"

"Are you kidding?"

"How?"

"What did she say? What was she like?"

Her smile softened as Kimberly lightly smacked Zack and Tommy, telling them to hush so Kat could speak and shooting glares at everyone else for good measure. "Her name is Avendra of Eltar. She talked about what it means to be a Silver Ranger, and told me to be strong." Her eyes grew distant as she remembered.

Abruptly they shot wide again, and she sat up straight, looking around wildly. At last she looked at Andros. "Zhane said that he was the only Silver Ranger left, didn't he?" she demanded.

Andros blinked. "Yes. Silver is a rare Color - "

"What about the other one?" Kat interrupted impatiently.

He paused, looking at her oddly. "What other one?"

"When I was in the Grid, I could sense the other Silver Rangers, even the ones in other dimensions," she explained. "But that's not important. What about the other one? He said there was another who hadn't been heard from for centuries."

"The Silver Swordsworn Ranger?" Pahla offered, frowning uncertainly.

Kat rounded on her instantly, her eyes determined and focused. "What happened to her?"

Pahla cocked her head curiously. "She has not been heard from since the fall of the Dark Gold Ranger. Sabrina of Aratoh was her Soul Bonded."

"Wait a minute," Aisha interrupted, holding up her hands. She stared incredulously at Pahla. "Are you saying that the other Silver Ranger was ***Scorpina's*** Soul Bonded?"

Pahla nodded. "Yes, Princess Rosemarie of Aratoh. She was second in command of one of the strongest Ranger teams until Sabrina's falling. She was never heard from after that, and many believe that she has gone on to join the Grid - "

"I felt her."

Everyone looked at Kat in surprise. "You mean she was in the Grid?" Trini asked carefully.

Kat shook her head, her eyes lighting up in revelation. "No. She was - I mean, she ***is*** still alive. I felt her when I was there. I know it wasn't my imagination, because I felt Zhane, too." She frowned suddenly. "She was ... " She closed her eyes, searching for the feeling of that moment, when she'd sensed the others like her.

~_Warmth Love Light Sadness Pain Loneliness Uncertainty Surprise Joy LOVE_~

Kat's eyes snapped open as she gasped. "She's alive," she whispered. "I can ***feel*** her. And - she reached back to me." Her gaze swept through the group, a brilliant smile lighting up her face. "I know where she is! I know where the other Silver Ranger is!"

* * *

Zhane slipped out of bed silently. He knew no one else was asleep. Too much had happened today for that. But he still made the effort to be silent and unnoticed; there was only one person he wanted to talk to tonight.

He found her in a secluded corner of the garden, watching the small waterfall that ran into the stream. She was lost in thought, looking very small and young as she wrapped her arms around herself. Strands of blond and brown hair drifted around her face in the faint breeze coming from one of the cracks in the cave wall.

His heart ached, still unable to recognize this distant, powerful young woman as the same spoiled and energetic little girl his sister had been. What could have happened to her in four years that was so traumatic? He had so many questions, but he was afraid of the answers.

"The last thing she said to me was 'grow strong'. Just before they left me at the Na'R'ga Collegiate," Lavender said abruptly, her voice soft. "I was eight years old, and all I knew was that my family was leaving me behind. I thought she meant I was too weak to come with them, that I'd just be a liability. I promised myself I'd become a Bavari Ranger so that no one could ever call me weak again."

"Aiming a little high, weren't you?" he asked wryly.

She looked at him, her glowing eyes dim. "That was the point. If I wanted to be strong, I was going to be the strongest. A Menari or Ca'ani Ranger wasn't strong enough. I had to be stronger than ***anyone***. Even the Kerova Rangers." She turned away from him again. "And now I'm not even that."

He frowned. "That's not true. The Bavari ***are*** - "

"How many Power Sources have you held, Zhane?"

He winced.

"They're not stronger than you," he protested at last. "They barely know how to use ***one***. Not to mention that they're ***completely*** innocent about galactic-standard diplomacy - they put ***Andros*** in charge for Solara's sake, and he's country-born!"

"How many have ***you*** held, Zhane?" she repeated.

"One!" he answered, exasperated.

She shook her head. "You've used Uncle's morpher, and now your own."

"That's not the same - "

"You've had ***two***," she cut him off again. "And even Aqua noticed the amount of Power in the nine of you alone."

He stared at her, bewildered. "Nine? What - "

"Don't mock me Zhane! I'm ***not*** a child!"

He stood there for a minute, staring. Then he stepped forward to wrap his arms around her from behind. "I wish you were," he told her softly. "I wish you still needed me to protect you. I wish we were still running around the Delta Megaship, getting into trouble everywhere. I wish ... " He sighed, kissing the back of her head. His fingers played with her hair absently. "I wish a lot of things, Sprite. I wish I knew what I'm doing! I'm just ... I'm flying blind. I don't know what we're looking for or what to do. I don't know what happened to the Kerova Rangers. I don't know if I can protect anyone anymore." He sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I don't know anything."

She turned around immediately to hug him, leaning against his chest. They stood like that for several minutes, silently taking comfort in each other's presence. "They said they had something to do," Lavender said at last. "Momma said it wasn't safe for me to be with them now, and that she wasn't sure when they would be able to contact me again." She frowned. "They were worried. Chaos kept pacing like he always does - but Gamble and Safety Net weren't trying to make him stop. And Momma and Sound Barrier didn't fight at all."

"Now ***there's*** a sign of the apocalypse," Zhane muttered, but he was frowning. One of the things he'd always admired about the Kerova Rangers was their ability to keep laughing in any situation - an ability he thought he'd never enjoy with anyone else until he met his current team. The idea of the Kerova Rangers being tense was as absurd as Ashley not smiling. It just ***didn't happen***.

His frown deepened as he remembered how long it had taken to make the Yellow Astro Ranger smile again after she'd come back from her torture session with Zeus.

"They were trying to stop a code," Lavender told him softly. "They had to catch it before it could get out." She hesitated. "They were afraid of what would happen if it did."

He smiled faintly. "Eavesdropping again?"

"It's only a bad habit when you keep getting caught," she recited dutifully. Then she paused, biting her lip. "They were looking for the code to an Inter-Dimensional Biological Energetic Source Code Cylinder, Zhane."

He froze as another piece of the puzzle clicked into place. "Zordon," he breathed. "They were looking for Zordon."

His eyes widened suddenly. His family was trying to stop a conspiracy against Zordon ***four years ago***? Power's Grace ... how long had all this been going on? The Dark Rangers, Zordon's capture, Vengeance -

Because Zordon would have been able to stop Justin, he realized. If nothing else, he would have coordinated the efforts of the Light Rangers.

Great Power ... how much of a hand did Dark Specter and the UAE have in the creation of the Dark Rangers?

"Zhane!"

He turned, still lost in thought. "Yeah, Kat. What is - "

"The Silver Swordsworn Ranger is still alive!" she cried as she rushed toward him, beaming. "I felt her through the Morphin Grid! The other Silver Ranger, Scorpina's Soul Bonded, is still alive!"

"Wha ... uh ... what?" He blinked.


	51. At a Loss

**Author's Notes/:** The song Zhane mentions is Breath of Life, sung by Sheila Chandra on the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers soundtrack.

Chapter 51:At a Loss

"Of course Rosemarie of Aratoh is still alive." Crystal looked at them oddly. "What would cause you to believe she wasn't?"

Andros and Zhane stared at her.

While they'd all managed to wait until the next morning to confront the Bavari with their questions, no one had slept well the night before. It hadn't helped that Lavender had frowned at Kat when she'd rushed up to her and Zhane, calmly stating "Of course she is. Why?"

"Perhaps because there has been no word of her since Scorpina's falling?" Pahla suggested mildly.

"Not to mention that for years everyone's been referring to Zhane as the ***only*** Silver Ranger," Andros added, nearly twitching.

"Amal of Eltar called me the ***last*** Silver Ranger when he oversaw the Power Transfer," Zhane put in with a scowl.

"And obviously the pompous old fool was right," Apple returned cheerfully as he nodded at Kat, who flushed. He winced when Onyx promptly elbowed him.

"Would you find yourself feeling particularly social in the wake of losing your Soul Bonded?" Fuchsia asked softly. "Especially when the incident almost immediately became the subject of galactic gossip and ridicule?"

"Are you saying she ***let*** everyone believe she was dead?" Tommy demanded incredulously.

"I say only that the princess has been grieving," he answered. "All other reasons shall become clear once you have met."

"We believe she may be one of the keys," Crystal informed them. "Another would be Luc of Cartock, _Jaune_ Ranger. He is the Soul Bonded of Angelique of Cartock, who you now know as Demoness."

"And then Rocky and Zhane," Trini finished, glancing at the two in question.

"Yes," Lavender confirmed.

"And this other prophecy you said you have received?" Aqua asked softly, cocking his head.

Rocky sighed, once again reciting for everyone. "'_I am in a place similar to Zordon's, but not by his side. Zordon nears Dark Spectre's hold, and his last barrier will soon be breeched. Justin will fall further into the Darkness, and Vengeance will begin to take him. As the Rangers of Dark lose the fight, so will the Rangers of Light begin to lose the war._

_"But all is not lost. You must continue to fight even when all hope is gone. For as long as there are Rangers who fight for the Light, the war is not over._

_"Gather your allies. Find those who seek to save the Dark Rangers from themselves, and those who protect what is sacred. Go to the child that Sees without seeing; she is the key that will unlock the source of your strength. The Power will live within you as it has never before._

_"Remember this: Vengeance is not what it seems. Look beyond the surface for your true enemy.'_"

There was a long moment of silence.

"This is most troubling," Fuchsia murmured, frowning. "It sounds more warning than advice."

"Zordon and Dimitria are in danger, but beyond our reach," Aqua's eyes were distant, his voice so quiet he almost seemed to be talking to himself. "Dark Specter seeks to use their Powers."

T.J. straightened, his eyes narrowing. "We have to - "

"We ***can't*** go after them," Andros interrupted. "Our job is to stop the Dark Rangers, not launch a rescue mission."

"But - "

"She doesn't want you to," Rocky reminded T.J. quietly. "She said to tell the Rangers that we can't go after them until the Dark Rangers are gone."

T.J. stared at him with an expression of betrayal, then looked around at everyone else. "We can't just sit here and let them suffer!"

"We don't have a choice," Jason reminded him. "We have to put defeating the Dark Rangers first."

Kat put a hand on his arm. "No one likes this, T.J.," she said softly. "We all want to help Zordon and Dimitria. But we can't."

No one saw Zhane's frown as he watched them.

T.J. jerked free. "I need some air," he muttered, rising to his feet.

Tanya raised an eyebrow at Litania when she didn't follow. "You're not going with him?"

Litania shook her head. "He doesn't want comfort," she informed the other girl. "He already knows he's wrong, he just doesn't want to be."

"We can't just leave him alone like that," Kat protested.

Zhane grabbed for her as she stood, and missed. "Kat, wait. Kat - " He made a noise of frustration as she hurried after T.J., running a hand over his hair. He glanced at Crystal after a moment. "I gotta - "

She nodded.

He was gone before anyone else could ask why.

* * *

"Wait! Kat, stop!"

She stumbled when he finally caught her arm. She wanted to glare at him and fight her way free, but she couldn't. She was fairly certain she knew what he wanted, and just like T.J., she didn't want to hear it.

There was a long silence.

At last Zhane sighed. "This is pointless. You already know everything I was gonna say."

"Can you blame me?" Her voice came out sounding small.

He hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Of course not. Believe me, I know ***exactly*** how you feel."

"Then why can't I?"

He sighed again. "You want your own psychological reasons, or his?"

She tilted her head towards his, leaning back more comfortably in his arms. It should have been strange to be so physically close to him, but somehow she felt more at ease with him than she probably should. But then, Zhane was like that.

"He has a martyr complex," she said at last. "He's just like Tommy that way, even if his reasons are different. He always tried so hard to be the perfect leader, and then his team failed. Now he feels like he's abandoned his teammate, and he thinks saving Justin is his responsibility. But he's not completely sure that he can do it, so he wants to save everyone else along the way. He's still trying to be the ideal Power Ranger." She stopped, frowning. "How do I know all that?"

He hummed in amusement. "I'm ***still*** not really sure. I think it's part of being Silver. We just ... know when others need us, I guess. We know how long we can let them sit and brood, and when it's time to rescue them." He paused. "Just like how I know you're focusing so much on him because he makes you think of Justin, and the way Justin needed you. And how thinking about everyone else stops you from thinking about what's going on in your own head."

Another long silence.

"It's not fair," she grumbled suddenly. "I want to say I hate you, but I just can't bring myself to do it."

He gave a lopsided smile that she couldn't see, but still felt somehow. "I think there's been enough hating going around these days for all of us."

She winced, closing her eyes tightly to keep from getting teary-eyed. "I suppose you're right."

He squeezed tighter, and they stayed silent for awhile.

"So do I get an answer yet?" he asked eventually.

"Hmm?"

He gently poked her ribs, a subtle reminder that he already knew what she was trying to avoid. "What's going on in your head?"

She gave a soft, bitter laugh that nearly ended up as a sob. "You already know."

"But I still want to hear from you."

The silence lingered again.

"Which part first?" she asked eventually. "The nightmares, all over one stupid moment I thought I was over? Or the guilt that doesn't go away no matter how hard I try? How I feel useless, like I should be doing something ... something ***more***. Something better. And ... " She choked an abrupt sob, turning to bury her face against his shoulder. "Oh, Zhane ... "

He started even as his arms wrapped around her. He'd known she was having nightmares; he'd overheard Trini and Aisha talking about the last time she'd woken up screaming. He wasn't completely positive that he knew why she screamed 'Don't touch me!', but he had a pretty good guess. Guilt was to be expected, too. How else would someone feel about their former teammate turning evil and insisting it was all because they'd abandoned him? Useless was an easy one; when you weren't a tech or healer, couldn't figure out all this philosophic-prophecy stuff, and didn't have an enemy to fight, what good could you do for the team?

But somehow, he had a feeling none of that was what had made her burst into tears now. Being Silver didn't make him an empath, but he could still sense the grief pouring off her in waves. "Kat?" he whispered, rubbing her back.

"I lost him."

His head came up. "What?"

"I thought ... Oh, I don't know ***what*** I was thinking anymore. I don't even know why I did it. But if ... if I'd just minded my own business, maybe ... maybe he'd still ... "

"Who?"

"The White Ranger," she sniffled. "The one I had in that little place in the engine room ."

A chill ran down Zhane's spine.

"I ... D.E.C.A. found him ... no one else was up, but it didn't seem right to just leave him floating around in space ... I don't know why I put him there, or why I didn't say anything. But ... he was still there when the Astro Megaship went down, and ... I lost him, Zhane! If it wasn't for me, he - " Her voice cut off in a choked sob,

He closed his eyes, squeezing her tight, and gave up on struggling for any words. Even if it had been an accident, even if it could have been avoided, he knew there was nothing he could say to make this better for her. Nothing ***could*** make this better. First D.E.C.A., and now a stranger they'd never met, who had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Almost instinctively, something he hadn't thought of in years came to mind, and he found himself beginning to hum as the words played through his head. -(_Uich gwennen na 'wanath ah na dhin ... An uich gwennen na ringyrn ambar hen ... Boe naid bain gwannathar, Boe cuil ban firitha ... Boe naer gwannathach ... _)-

After a moment, Kat's head came up slowly, and she watched him with red-rimmed eyes. "What is that?" she asked after he'd finished.

"It's a Cara-Shayla spirit song," he told her. "It's got words, I just ... My voice doesn't have the right range. It's called Breath of Life."

"What does it mean?"

"It's a goodbye, and a promise that things will be better on the other side."

"It sounds pretty."

"It's beautiful. We can play it for him when we get back."

"Okay." She laid her head back on his shoulder, tears welling up again. "Thanks."

He tightened his hug in response.

* * *

He'd run out of katas to go through a long time ago; he'd never been much of a martial artist before becoming a Ranger anyway. There was no bat or ball, and the Bavari Rangers didn't have a holodeck to play baseball, so he'd gone jogging. Eventually he tired, at last flopping on his back in the grass outside the cave entrance to Sanctuary and staring up at the sky.

"Hey."

He didn't bother to look up. "Hey."

She sat beside him, looking his face for a moment before laying down. "I love you," she declared abruptly.

"I know."

He took her hand as she moved to rest her head on his chest. She snuggled closer, and he brought his other hand up to play with her hair absently. Then he kissed the top of her head. "Thanks, Litania," he whispered.

"Anytime, T." she murmured.

Together, they watched the stars in silence.


	52. Drawing Conclusions

**Author's Notes/:** Please see notes at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 52:Drawing Conclusions

There was something about space that seemed to make time stop, Adam reflected. It was hard to say what was happening, exactly; just that time was passing, while it seemed no time had passed at all.

Four days in Sanctuary now since their trip into the Power Spring. It didn't seem like it had been so long, but the Delta Megaship's calendar didn't lie. They'd gone into the Spring the same night they'd all arrived from Eltar, but the days since had been quiet. Fuchsia had taken Kimberly and Cassie somewhere to train them in their empathy, which was still to weird for him to think about for long. Pahla, Yasta, and Vengi were still recovering from the battle on Saes in Lemon's infirmary, though they were all mostly healed by now. Litania was supposed to be with them, but she seemed to have a knack for avoiding the Yellow Bavari Ranger that was almost as amusing as it was annoying. Aisha was fine thanks to the Spring, although she'd complained of feeling weaker than usual, and spent a lot of time working out.

Part of him felt like they were lingering here for too long, like they should already be heading out to find some way to stop the Dark Rangers and save Justin. But while the damage to the Delta Megaship had been repaired and Billy claimed there wasn't much left to do for Pterodactyl, there was still Pahla's White Dragon and Phantom's ship, which she refused to let anyone else touch. Aqua had also said something about 'fine-tuning' the Thunderzords, which made him wonder if Chrin would have been offended.

And even if they *had* moved out, exactly where were they supposed to go next? The Bavari said they needed to find the keys, but why did it seem like going after them was just avoiding the Dark Rangers entirely? And if they went after Justin instead ... why did that seem wrong even as part of him insisted it was the right thing to do?

"Hey."

Adam glanced as Zack plopped down on the grass beside him, distracting him from his thoughts. "Hey," he echoed belatedly.

"You okay, man?" Zack asked, eyeing him.

Adam blinked at him, surprised by the question. "More or less," he answered, shrugging. "I'm not sure any of us are really 'okay' right now."

Zack tilted his head in acknowledgement. "Something on your mind?" he pressed.

Adam was silent for a moment. His eyes drifted back up to the Black Lion Thunderzord in front of him. A hatch had been opened in the back of the zord's head, and he could see Aqua's hand stick up for a moment, fumbling, before finally closing on a tool and disappearing back inside. "It's November," he said abruptly.

Zack looked startled. "Seriously?"

He nodded. "Trini was going through something on one of the consoles in the Delta Megaship, and I saw the date over her shoulder. Today's November 17th in Angel Grove. Tuesday," he added, as though it mattered.

"And we got together around October 12th," Zack murmured, reaching up to run a hand over his head. "Jeez, it's been over a month already since all this started? Seems like it's only been a couple weeks."

Adam nodded again. "I've probably lost my job by now," he chuckled, staring at his hands. The words were more bitter than he'd meant them to be. "I don't regret being here," he continued quietly. "I ... I couldn't imagine being anywhere else. It's just ... "

"Didn't think it was gonna take this long?" Zack guessed. Adam nodded, and he sighed, shaking his head. "Man ... I figured we'd be back in three weeks, tops. The Academy probably thinks we dropped out or something." He tried to laugh it off the way Adam had, but the thought hurt. He swallowed hard as something else occured to him. "My family's gotta be wondering why I haven't gotten in touch lately, too."

Adam winced.

"Missed Jase and Kat's birthdays, too," he mused, frowning. He shook his head, leaning back on his hands to stare up at the Zord in front of them. "This is all so messed up," he sighed.

Adam closed his eyes, heart clenching.

" ... Do you ever blame me?"

He felt Zack start slightly beside him, but he couldn't bring himself to look. "Or any of us, really," Adam went on softly. "For ... " He sighed, gesturing vaguely around them with a wide sweep of his arm. "This."

"For bringing us to one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen?" Zack sounded amused.

Adam sighed again in frustration, shaking his head. "No, I mean - "

"Adam," Zack cut in gently, setting a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault Justin turned, man. It's not anybody's fault."

"Are you sure about that?" The words were barely more than a whisper, and his eyes burned.

"Yes," Zack said firmly. "Trust me. I was there for Tommy after the Evil Green Ranger, remember? I know evil, and I know what it's like to feel like you should have done something more. Tommy's not the only one who blames himself for the people we lost then," he added quietly. "We all feel like we failed. We failed Angel Grove, and we almost failed Tommy. It's a miracle we stopped him at all. But you know what? We didn't give up, even when we wanted to. It's cheesy, but we have to keep hanging in there. We may not know the whole story here, but I don't think Justin chose to be evil anymore than Tommy did. And that means we have to keep working to save him. Because he needs us to save him."

"And that's what friends do," Adam murmured, swallowing. The guilt lingered, but Zack had a point. They couldn't give up on Justin now.

Zack gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Exactly," he said, sounding satisfied. "He may not know it, but we're still Justin's friends. And we're gonna save him."

_We have to._

"Greetings!"

They both looked up to see Lemon striding toward them, a large basket tucked under her right arm. "I hope you this bright day finds you both well," she greeted them with a warm smile.

"Greetings," Zack echoed awkwardly, managing a smile in return. "Yeah, same to you."

She tlited her head, looking puzzled. "Does something trouble you?"

Adam exchanged glances with Zack, giving a slight shrug. "Just ... thinking about ... everything, I guess."

Lemon blinked, then smiled slowly. "That is a great deal to think about," she remarked gently. "Perhaps we should take a moment from these thoughts for a snack?"

"Uh ... "

"Wonderous," she went on, ignoring their lack of response. She set her basket down, turning to reguard Black Lion for a moment. She huffed, putting her hands on her hips and staring intently up at the Zord.

After a few minutes, Aqua's head poked out of the open hatch on top. He blinked down at them for a few minutes as Lemon glared, sighed loud enough to be visible on the ground, and climbed out. He slid down the side of the Zord, executing a neat roll at the bottom to bring himself to his feet. "It has not been that long," he informed Lemon with a frown, ignoring Zack and Adam.

"You have not been seen since breakfast, when you claimed you would visit the Zords," she countered. "We have now passed lunch. It has been long enough. Sit."

For a moment he looked like he was going to protest, but her stare intensified and he sat gracefully with another sigh instead. He nodded briefly to Zack and Adam as he reached for Lemon's basket.

She knelt down, smacking Aqua's hand away in the process, and began to distribute food among the four of them. She brushed off Adam's weak protest as she pushed a roll into his hand. "Food and conversation are both things best when shared," she insisted. "I have brought the food, therefore it is up to the three of you to bring the conversation."

Zack grinned faintly. "You remind me a lot of Trini sometimes, you know that? In a good way," he added as Adam raised an eyebrow at him.

Lemon paused to give him another warm smile. "My thanks. I consider such words to be a great compliment, as I am well aware of how precious each of your teammates are to you."

Zack paused at the thought, considering, before his grin softened into a faint smile. "Yeah. They are," he agreed quietly.

Adam looked away as the guilt surged again, taking a bite of his roll.

They ate in silence for awhile, broken only by Zack complimenting the food, and Lemon's graceful thanks. Adam was too lost in thought and guilt, despite Zack's words, to say much of anything, and Aqua rarely ever spoke to anyone as it was. Instead the teen stared vacantly into the distance with a glazed look in his eyes, munching absently on whatever Lemon put into his hands.

"I have reached my conclusion," he announced abruptly, startling them all.

Lemon immediately gave him another bright smile. "Wonderous. Will you share with us?"

Aqua chewed thoughtfully on the fruit in his hand, still staring into the distance. He swallowed. "The strongest shape is said to be a triangle, yes?"

Adam blinked, giving him an odd look. "Yeah, that's right. Why?"

"The triangle is also considered to be a symbol of balance. Some of the stronger teams of Rangers are made of groups of three, combining to make a greater whole. In this, balance is the representative points of heart, mind, and body as one."

"Also symbolizing the balance of self," Lemon remarked, nodding in agreement.

Aqua paused to swallow another mouthful of fruit. "As it stands, the prophecy calls for the Power of the Many. Thus it asks for the Powers of Mind, Body, and Heart to empower the Chosen."

"So ... that's what the last three lines are for?" Zack asked, frowning. "The Commander, the Warrior, and the Visionary?"

Aqua shook his head. "No. The three to guard the prophecy and ensure its completion are another example of the symbols of Heart, Mind, and Body. There is another clue in the phophecy that suggests a fourth Power is needed. Something very small and suble, almost unworthy of notice."

There was a pause as they all tried to think about what he was saying.

"You mean the four keys?" Adam said slowly.

Aqua tilted his head, staring thoughtfully into the distance again. "Numbers are very important, especially to Rangers. Strong teams are sets of three, five, six, or eight. Even in the prophecy, it claims there will be a team of ten Dark Rangers, the largest team to have ever served the Power - on any side. Therefore I find it curious to know why the prophecy would call specifically for *four* keys. Why four? Why not two, or three? Or even ten, as there are ten Dark Rangers?"

Zack was staring at him, more than slightly startled by the amount of words coming from the younger teen. It was the most they'd heard him say since they'd met him.

"You find the keys to be a representation of something significant?" Lemon pressed gently.

Aqua blinked abruptly, turning to flash her a surprisingly bright smile. "I find the entire line to be significant. '_Four Keys of Salvation and hearts destined to be, to draw back the Power of Light_'. I believe there are four Keys of Salvation, and four hearts destined to be. In addition, the phrase '_to draw back the Power of Light_'. It does not specifically say these keys will save the Dark Rangers. It says they will draw the Power of Light - the Power itself."

Lemon nodded slowly, frowning in contemplation. "An odd twist, to be sure, but a prominent one."

"Thus we must examine the significance of the number four," Aqua went on, playing absently with the grass with his free hand. Lemon reached forward to poke her finger in his ribs, giving the fruit in his hand a pointed look when he blinked at her. He sighed, taking another bite and swallowing before he continued. "Four is a number of balance, but again, why are the representatives of the Heart, Mind, and Body mentioned? So we assume that Heart, Mind, and Body are important to us as well. And as for the fourth, why was the prophecy left in the Temple of the Ninjetti? Why *there*?"

Lemon stiffened, staring at him. "You imply - "

"Yes." He paused to finish off the last of his fruit, sighing when Lemon handed him another roll. "I conclude that the four keys are representative Power Sources; sources of Heart, Mind, Body, and Spirit. Spirit we have found, as the Power of the Ninjetti comes from the sacred animals inside each of us. Heart as well, as the Morphin energy comes from the heart of all. Therefore we must now send the Chosen to find Mind and Body."

"Is that why you sent us into the Power Spring?" Zack asked curiously.

Lemon and Aqua exchanged glances. "No," she admitted quietly. "We had not confirmed the significance of the Power of the Many beyond that you would need multiple sources at that point. We chose to share our spring with you for several reasons: first, the Morphin energy is one the eleven of you are already familiar with. It was likely that it would bond well with you again. In addition, we knew that the swiftest way to heal your injuries would be to send you to the Grid." She hesitated, her face falling a little. "It was the only way to truly save Aisha we could find."

Aqua scooted closer to her as Zack and Adam stared, horrified by the implication. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, resting his head against hers as she leaned into him. "If we were not so concerned about conflicting energies, we would have done the same for your other friends long ago," he added quietly. "For Aisha, we had to act swiftly. There was no other choice."

"My sincerest apologies," Lemon whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "I should have been able to do more for her."

"You saved her life."

The two Bavari Rangers looked up at Zack as he stared back at them solemnly. "She wouldn't have made it otherwise. Would she."

It was more of a statement than a question, but Lemon shook her head slowly. "No," she said softly. "She was bleeding inside. The Power was keeping her alive, but there was only so much to be done."

"The Dark Rangers strength comes from their negative energy," Aqua explained. "They absorb all of the negative energy both within themselves and around them. Even the energy they may find through you yourselves. That is the source of their strength. It is what allowed the Dark Pink Ranger to injure Aisha so severely, and why the Power was unable to heal her completely. To put it simply, as of now, they are stronger than you."

Adam's words were barely a whisper. "Then how are we supposed to win?"

Lemon leaned forward, taking his hand in hers. "You will win, because you have the greatest stake in winning," she told him seriously. "The Dark Rangers fight because they enjoy suffering, because they wish to prove their own strength. You fight for the sake of your friends."

"For Justin," he interrupted quietly. "I'm fighting to save Justin."

She smiled, squeezing his hand gently. "And that is why you will win."

* * *

They watched as the two Chosen went to share their new information with their friends. The Black Rangers seemed anxious, but determined. Aqua's words had given them hope, and Lemon had reminded them why they needed to hold on to that hope.

"You know who the final Chosen is." Lemon's words were soft, barely breaking the silence around them. "Don't you."

Aqua sighed quietly. "Yes."

She glanced at him, curious, but without blame. "You will not share this knowledge?"

He shook his head. "They are not ready to know, just as the final Chosen is ready to join them. My only certainty is that they will not wish to accept this person."

She frowned. "That ... does not bode well."

"No." He let out another sigh, shivering slightly as she turned to hold him tighter. "It does not."

* * *

_**And now for the Author's Notes no one wants to read ...**_

This story is officially over. I will not be adding to or editing it again. I decided to go ahead and post the last four chapters I'd written that were completed as a thank you for everyone who's stuck with it so far, but there won't be any more updates. I plan to leave it posted on as long as I don't have any complaints about it, but I ***will*** take it down if I'm asked. If that happens, I'll have it posted on my website, Fading Lights, which can be found at: www. angelfire. /moon2/tsukinoakume/index. html.

The Fade to Darkness saga is ***not*** over, however.

Essentially, what happened was that I decided to re-read the whole thing so I could catch up on where I'd left off (again), and started doing some editing. About three chapters later, I realized the editing was turning into yet another rewrite. -_-;;

So! There *is* a new version that I'm currently working on, that will eventually be beta'd (I'm looking for beta volunteers if anyone's willing. Please PM me if you'd like to help.) and posted. It's very different from this FtD, which is why I made the decision to leave this one on the site. I'm not sure if I'll post it in-progress the way I did with the last two versions however, seeing as that tends to leave my readers hanging for months at a time because my muses decide to ignore it again. c.c;;

In the meantime, I'll be working on the new FtD and trying to edit/rewrite/finish a few pieces of the Bright Skies universe. But you can always find pictures and comments about how FtD is coming along on my LiveJournal if you're interested, which is linked from my profile.

Thank you everyone, for all your support and encouragement over this story. I hope the newest edition meets your approval.


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